The weather looks set to remain unsettled this weekend but it will be milder on Easter Sunday than it has been in recent days with temperatures in the low to mid teens.
Met Éireann has forecast that outbreaks of rain will spread over Ulster and parts of north Leinster on Thursday morning, turning to sleet or snow in places before clearing this evening. Another spell of rain will develop in south Leinster in the afternoon.
It will be drier elsewhere with sunny spells and isolated showers. Highest temperatures look set to be in the region 5 degrees in the north to 10 degrees in the south with light to moderate northerly winds, occasionally fresh in the north.
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Rain in Ulster and Leinster will gradually clear tonight, followed by clear spells and scattered showers from the southwest, with a chance of hail and sleet.
It is expected to be a cold night with lowest temperatures of -2 to +2 degrees, allowing frost and ice to develop once again in light south-easterly winds.
There will be a mix of sunny spells and showers on Friday. Some showers will turn heavy with a chance of hail and isolated thunderstorms. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees are forecast with light to moderate southerly winds, fresh at times in the south.
There will be a good deal of dry weather on Friday night with clear spells and isolated showers. More frequent showers will develop in the West and southwest towards dawn.
A touch of frost is possible with lowest temperatures of 0 to 4 degrees in light southerly winds. A largely dry start is forecast for Saturday with sunny spells.
However, blustery showers will spread north-eastward across the country during the morning and afternoon, some turning heavy with hail.
Highest temperatures look set to be in the region of 9 to 12 degrees in moderate to fresh southerly winds. Showers will clear to the north early on Saturday night and it will briefly turn drier.
Further showers or longer spells of rain will develop in the south and east by morning with lowest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees.
It will be quite cloudy on Sunday with continued showers, turning heavy in some places. It is expected to be milder with highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees in light to moderate south-easterly winds.
Current indications suggest that Bank Holiday Monday will be a dull day with outbreaks of rain. Highest temperatures of 9 to 14 degrees in moderate easterly winds. It is expected to remain unsettled next week with further showers and rain.
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