THE WEATHER IS set to pick up a little this weekend with sunnier skies but there are still some rain showers in store.

Met Éireann expects today to be a mix of sunny spells and scattered passing showers, with a few heavy showers across Ulster and Leinster into the afternoon.

Temperatures today will reach highs of 16 to 20 degrees. 

In the evening, low clouds and rain and drizzle will arrive into western areas of the country with brisk winds closer to the coast.

Tonight will be dry early on across the eastern half of the country but wet elsewhere as rain and drizzle extend countrywide. Some heavy bursts are likely with low cloud, mist and fog in parts too and lows of 9 to 12 degrees.

Tomorrow morning, Met Éireann says, will see sunny spells and scattered showers, followed by the odd heavy shower later in the day.

Tomorrow should be warm with highs of 17 to 21 degrees. At night, it will be dry with clear spells and light southerly breezes, becoming a little cool in places with lows of 7 to 11 degrees.

Any mist will clear early on Sunday to leave a dry day with “warm spells of hazy sunshine, possibly cloudier later further west”, according to the national forecaster.

“Highs of 18 to 23 degrees further east, in light to moderate southwest breezes. Generally dry overnight but with chance of patchy mist and drizzle in places. Lows of 11 to 15 degrees in light southwest breezes.”

Monday’s forecast has some uncertainty but at present shows ” a good deal of dry weather is expected with warm sunny spells and just light southwest breezes”.

“However, low cloud and patchy rain will likely affect Atlantic coastal areas, where it will be coolest. Highs of 17 to 24 degrees, warmest across the Midlands, Southeast and East.”