Met Éireann predicts rainy start to April with temperatures to fall to 0C on Monday night

Monday will see clouds in most places, according to Met Éireann, with outbreaks of rain and drizzle expected. File picture: Denis Minihane

April is set to start on a rainy note with scattered showers and drizzle expected throughout the country over the coming days.

Monday will see clouds in most places, according to Met Éireann, with outbreaks of rain and drizzle expected. There will be sunnier breaks across southern counties, but some showers there will be heavy.

However, milder temperatures will ensue, with highest temperatures of between 8C to 13C throughout the day.

As April Fool’s Day draws to a close, Monday night will see "showers becoming isolated in the south and west" leaving clear spells. 

“Cloudier skies persisting in the east and north with rain and drizzle becoming lighter and patchier overnight,” said Met Éireann.

Monday night will be cold as temperatures fall to lows of 0C, with "a touch of frost possible" in some areas. 

Tuesday will begin on a sunnier note, with “mostly dry” conditions and sunshine expected throughout the day.

This will be short-lived, however, as showers and “longer spells of rain” are expected towards evening time.

Highest daily temperatures of between 9C to 13C are predicted for the daytime while cooler temperatures of between 2C to 4C are expected to hit overnight.

Rainy conditions are expected to remain until the end of the week, with plenty of showers predicted. Met Éireann is forecasting that a "spell of persistent and locally heavy rain will extend nationwide on Wednesday night".

Longer spells of rain are expected on Thursday and Friday, and while there will be sunny spells, scattered showers are expected. 

Met Éireann has warned of “low pressure” dominating the forecast through next weekend, bringing “continued showers or longer spells of rain”.