Plenty of dry and bright weather is expected this week with temperatures increasing also, Met Éireann has said.

Today (Monday, April 20) will be mainly dry with good sunny spells and just the chance of a light shower.

After a cool crisp start for many, highest afternoon temperatures will range from 12° to 16° or 17°, mildest in the south-west, in just light to moderate easterly breezes.

It will continue dry for most tonight with long clear spells, though a few scattered showers will feed in from the east overnight, mainly affecting the northern half of the country.

There will be lowest temperatures of 1° to 5° in a light to moderate easterly breeze, Met Éireann said.

It will become breezy on Tuesday with easterly winds increasing moderate to fresh.

It will stay dry overall with sunny spells and just isolated light showers, though it will turn cloudier at times in the south-west.

There will be highest temperatures of 10° to 14°.

Tuesday night will be dry with long clear spells, though remaining cloudier in the south-west, according to Met Éireann's forecast.

There will be lowest temperatures of 3° to 7° in moderate, occasionally fresh, easterly winds.

Sunny spells

Wednesday will be dry for many with sunny spells, though cloudier in the south-west with a few light showers there.

It will continue breezy with moderate to fresh easterly winds, and highest temperatures of 11° to 14°.

Wednesday night will be mostly dry with a mix of cloud and clear skies, though scattered showers will continue in the south-west.

There will be lowest temperatures of 5° to 9°, a little cooler in parts of Ulster, with mostly moderate easterly breezes, fresher near coasts.

Thursday is expected to be a dry and sunny day for most with just the odd shower possible.

There will be highest temperatures ranging from 11° in the east to 15° or 16° in the west, with mostly moderate east to south-east winds easing through the evening.

Friday will be another dry and sunny day for most.

There will be highest temperatures of 15° to 19° generally in mostly light south-easterly breezes, though a little cooler near eastern and southern coasts where winds will be more moderate.

Met Éireann said it is expected it will remain mostly dry and settled for the weekend with plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the mid to high teens.