Met Éireann has said that unsettled conditions will continue this week with heavy rain and strong winds at times.

Today (Monday, January 26) will be a dull, wet and breezy day with widespread rain, some of which will be heavy.

During the afternoon, a clearance will develop in the west and south-west, bringing brighter spells and some showers. It will stay dull and wet in other areas.

Highest afternoon temperatures of 5° to 10°C, feeling mildest in the south-west.

There will be moderate to fresh, and sometimes strong, south-easterly winds which will veer light south-westerly or variable in the clearance.

Rain and drizzle may persist in parts of the north and east tonight, drier elsewhere. However, later in the night cloud will build bringing rain from the east.

Overnight lows of 0° to 5° with easterly winds increasing fresh to strong and gusty by morning with gales on coasts.

Warnings

The UK Met Office has issued a Status Yellow rain warning for Northern Ireland where heavy rain is likely to bring some transport disruption and flooding in places.

The warning will be valid from midday until 6:00p.m today.

Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow rain warning for counties Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow from midnight tonight until 6:00p.m on Tuesday (January 27).

There may be localised flooding and difficult travel conditions as a result.

A similar warning will be in place for Northern Ireland from 2:00a.m until 9:00p.m on Tuesday.

Weather

The forecast shows that Tuesday will be wet and windy with widespread rain, heavy at times. Some wintry showers are possible on higher ground in the north and north-west.

Brighter spells and showers will move in from the south, for a time, before more spells of rain spread up over the country.

Highest daytime temperatures of 5° to 9° in fresh to strong or near gale and gusty easterly winds.

Tuesday night will be wet and windy initially, the winds gradually easing during the night and showers becoming scattered. Lowest temperatures of 2° to 6° with fresh to strong and gusty easterly winds becoming southerly and easing moderate to fresh by morning.

Wednesday will be generally cloudy with showers or longer spells of rain in mainly moderate to fresh south-easterly winds. Highest temperatures of 7° to 10°.

Thursday will be cloudy with further showers or longer spells of rain. Some limited bright spells could occur. Highest temperatures of 6° to 10° in light to moderate south-east to east winds, fresher further north.

Friday will be another cloudy day with further showers or longer spells of rain, possibly heavy. Highest temperatures of 6° to 9° in moderate to fresh easterly winds easing light to moderate southerly.

The current outlook shows little change in the conditions for next weekend as low pressure continues to dominate.

Met Éireann

Due to the unsettled conditions, it will be wetter than average for most of the country over the coming week.

Rainfall amounts will generally be between 130% and 300% of average, but accumulations will be closer to normal near western coasts.

While temperatures will vary slightly over the coming week, values overall will be within a degree of normal. Little change is expected in mean soil temperatures over the coming week.

Drying conditions will be generally poor and opportunities for spraying will be very limited.

Met Éireann said all poorly drained soils along with moderately drained soils in the south and east are waterlogged, while all other soils are currently saturated.

There will be no improvement to soil conditions this week, though some moderately drained soils in the south and east may become saturated.