Temperatures will reach 14° to 19° today (Monday, October 12) before heavy rain pushes eastwards across Ireland on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, according to Met Éireann.

The national forecaster expects a largely mixed week, with spells of rain and showers punctuated by drier interludes, and breezy or windy conditions at times. The working week splits into two distinct halves: an unsettled, mild start and a dry, bright but colder finish as high pressure builds.

What happens on Monday and Tuesday?

Today begins mostly cloudy with residual patches of drizzle, mist and fog. Some places will brighten up for a time with sunny spells.

Outbreaks of rain and drizzle will push in from the Atlantic in the afternoon, mostly affecting western counties, and become persistent and heavier in the evening. Southerly winds will strengthen along Atlantic coastal parts.

Tonight, rain — heavy at times in the west — will spread eastwards, with clearer conditions following and blustery showers feeding in from the Atlantic. Lowest temperatures will sit between 9° and 14°, with blustery southerly winds veering southwest and moderating.

Tuesday (October 13) brings sunny spells and scattered showers. The showers will be heaviest and most frequent in Ulster, with a chance of thunder, before becoming more isolated from the south through the afternoon. Moderate to fresh and gusty west to southwesterly winds will ease later.

Highest temperatures on Tuesday will range from 13° to 16°, coolest in the northwest. Tuesday night will be mostly dry with clear spells, but cloud will build in the west and northwest, where the odd spot of light rain or drizzle is possible. Overnight lows will fall to 8° to 12°, with light to moderate southerly winds freshening and turning strong in the west and northwest.

How wet and windy will midweek get?

Wednesday (October 14) will be windy but mostly dry at first, with some sunny spells and just a few patches of light rain or drizzle. Conditions will cloud over in the west and north, with rain arriving there in the afternoon and evening. Top temperatures will reach 14° to 17°, on fresh to strong and gusty southerly winds.

The main weather event of the week follows on Wednesday night. Heavy rain will affect the southwest, west and north, and will spread to the rest of the country on Thursday morning (October 15).

The rain will clear eastwards through Thursday morning and afternoon, with drier and brighter conditions following and just a few showers feeding into Atlantic coastal areas. Highest temperatures on Thursday will be 13° to 16°, with fresh southerly winds veering westerly and easing.

Will the weekend bring a settled spell?

Aside from a few showers affecting the north for a time on Friday, Met Éireann's further outlook points to an area of high pressure bringing dry, bright and settled weather for the remainder of the week and into next weekend.

There is one trade-off: it will turn colder both by day and night once the high builds, the forecaster said.

The practical shape of the week is clear. Any outdoor work that needs mild, dry conditions faces the tightest windows on Tuesday and again from Thursday afternoon onwards, with the settled, colder spell into next weekend offering the most reliable stretch of dry weather of the coming seven days.