Met Eireann warns of wet and miserable start to weekend with risk of spot flooding

Heavy rain will continue to lash many parts of Co Kildare today, with Met Eireann forecasters warning that the wet weather will continue in to the weekend.

Mostly cloudy and misty to begin today with showers or longer spells of rain, but bright spells at times later. Top temperatures of 7 or 9 degrees in light to moderate easterly breezes.

Met Eireann forecasters said that 'persistent and occasionally heavy rain' will develop this evening and early tonight near the east coast, with spot flooding likely. Elsewhere, it will start out largely dry with variable cloud and clear spells and just the odd shower.

The rain in the east will gradually become more widespread overnight, with some heavy falls and spot flooding possible. Lows of 1 to 5 degrees, coldest under clear spells occurring inland early in the night. Light to moderate easterly or northerly breezes.

According to Met Eireann forecasters low pressure will dominate, with further spells of rain expected in the coming days, heaviest in the south and east, but drier interludes also.

Mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain, heavy at times, with a risk of spot flooding for Saturday. Top temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees in light or moderate northerly winds.

Saturday night will see outbreaks of rain over the midlands, north and east will gradually clear northeastwards on Saturday night, with the dry clear intervals in the west and south extending countrywide by dawn. Lows of 0 to 5 degrees with a risk of frost, coldest under the long clear spells in the south.

Winds becoming light southwest to south or variable overnight, allowing mist and fog patches to form.

"Mainly dry and bright in the north and east to begin on Sunday, with any early mist, fog and residual drizzle patches clearing, but thickening cloud in the west and south heralding the arrival of outbreaks of rain in Munster during the morning. The cloud and rain will gradually spread northeastwards over the country during the afternoon, with the heaviest of the rain likely to affect southern and later eastern coastal counties,"said forecasters.

Top temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees in light to moderate south to southeast winds, freshening on southern and southwestern coasts. Further spells of rain on Sunday night. Lows of 4 to 8 degrees.

Moderate to fresh east to southeast winds, strong and gusty on western, northern and eastern coasts for a time, becoming light southeast or variable by dawn.