Met Eireann is forecasting a changeable weather pattern for the week ahead.

Monday starts cloudy in most areas, with scattered outbreaks of rain and drizzle. Drier and brighter weather with sunny spells will develop later in the afternoon over many southern and central areas, but further north it will remain cloudy with further outbreaks of rain and drizzle. Highest temperatures will be 15°C to 19°C.

Tuesday

Tuesday will be a mild day, with highs of 17°C to 20°C in moderate southwest winds. It will start out mostly cloudy with patchy outbreaks of rain.

That will clear to sunny spells and just isolated showers will develop in the west and north during the afternoon and evening. Patchy rain in the south and east will clear early on Tuesday night, but further scattered showers will arrive in the west and northwest overnight.

Wednesday

Wednesday looks to be a bright and blustery day, with good sunshine but also passing showers, some heavy. Top temperatures of 14°C to 18°C in brisk northwest winds.

Thursday

It is expected to be mainly dry on Thursday with a mix of cloud and sunshine. Top temperatures ranging 17°C to 21°C in moderate westerly breezes. Outbreaks of rain will move into the west and northwest on Thursday evening, spreading eastwards across the country overnight.

Friday

Met Eireann reports that current indications suggest Friday will be a bright and blustery day with sunny spells and scattered showers.

Farming and field conditions

Friday's rainfall has pushed rainfall amounts well above normal in parts of the west and northwest, according to Met Eireann.

More than 50mm was recorded in some parts of Galway, Mayo and Donegal in a 24-hour period.

Current rainfall accumulations are between 2.5 and four times the weekly average in parts of Connacht and west Ulster, and near twice the average in western parts of Clare and Kerry as a result.

Drying conditions

Drying conditions will be generally moderate to good away from the west and northwest, with a good deal of dry weather overall.

Spraying

Spraying conditions will be limited at times in the west and northwest this week, and generally limited in all parts on Wednesday due to windy conditions.

Field conditions

Soil moisture deficits are generally around 10mm to 20mm in Leinster, east Ulster and south Munster but lower elsewhere.

Soils remain saturated or waterlogged in parts of the west and northwest. There will be some improvement in the west and northwest this week, albeit quite slow and gradual.