WIDESPREAD RAIN THIS afternoon will set a tone for the coming weekend, with heavy rain forecast for the coming days.

Outbreaks of rain will continue to spread north-east over Munster this afternoon while, elsewhere, there’ll be sunny spells with the risk of an isolated heavy shower or thunderstorm in north Leinster and Ulster, Met Éireann said. 

It’ll be warm and humid in north-eastern counties with highs of 20-24 degrees. It’ll be cooler at around 15-19 degrees in the south and west.

Showery rain will continue in most areas tonight with some heavy and possibly thundery bursts.

Tomorrow, then, will see frequent showers that will merge into longer spells of rain at times with heavy bursts likely in Connacht and western Ulster. 

It’ll also be cooler, with top temperatures of 13-16 degrees.

There’ll be further showers overnight Saturday into Sunday, which is also set to be a wet, dull day. 

Again, Connacht and Ulster are set to get the worst of the rain on Sunday. 

Into Monday, then, there will be a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers with the showers most frequent in the north and west. 

Met Éireann added: “Current indications suggest our weather will continue changeable with rain or showers at times, but dry interludes will occur too. Temperatures close to average or slightly below.”