Electric Picnic weather: 'Ponchos and wellies could certainly come in handy' with rain forecast

By the time the first act takes to the stage in Stradbally at about 6pm, the Midlands will see only the odd scattered shower.

Those attending the Electric Picnic festival in Co Laois this weekend have been advised to pack ponchos and wellies, amid a mixed weather outlook for the next couple of days.

Temperatures will hit highs of between 19C to 21C across the weekend, but there will be showers or rain on each day of the three-day festival. 

Met Éireann meteorologist Ailís Hankinson said: "For those heading along to the Electric Picnic in Stradbally this weekend, the ponchos and wellies could certainly come in handy as you can expect some rain and gusty showers for much of the country."

Ms Hankinson said Friday will bring a mix of "sunny spells and scattered showers", some of which will be heavy. The showers will be most frequent in the north and west, with the best of the sunny spells in the east and southeast. 

By the time the first act takes to the stage in Stradbally at about 6pm, the Midlands will see only the odd scattered shower.

Highest temperatures today will range from 15C to 20C in moderate westerly winds, fresher for Atlantic and northern coasts.

Friday night will be largely dry with clear spells and just some isolated showers. However, cloud will build from the southwest later, extending over much of the country by morning as outbreaks of rain and drizzle move in over much of Munster and parts of Connacht. Lowest temperatures tonight will range from about 9C to 13C.

Ms Hankinson said Saturday morning will be "a wet and windy one", and while the rain will clear to scattered showers, it will stay quite blustery for most of the day.

It will, however, stay mostly cloudy in the northwest with longer spells of rain possible, bringing further chances of localised flooding. Highest temperatures on Saturday will range from 16C to 21C.

On Saturday night, it will be breezy with spells of rain, heavy at times in the north and west, with the chance of localised flooding, though the rest of the country will see clear spells and scattered showers. Temperatures tomorrow night will fall back to around 9C to 14C.

Finally, Ms Harkinson said Sunday would bring "further scattered showers and sunny spells" which will move eastwards as the day progresses. These may turn heavy at times with isolated thunderstorms possible, and longer spells of rain in the northwest. The best of the dry and sunny intervals will be in the east and southeast.

Highest temperatures on Sunday will range from 14C to 19C amid fresh and gusty south or southwest winds, moderating during the evening.

On Sunday night, Met Éireann says the current forecast is for "variable cloud with showers or longer spells of rain". Lowest temperatures on Sunday night will range from about 10C to 14C.