ALERT: Met Eireann's five-day forecast has one major prediction for the weekend

Met Eireann's five-day forecast has one major prediction for the weekend with a chance of "sunny spells" both days.

Thursday 

Thursday will be a largely dry day with a mix of cloud and sunny spells.

It will become duller from the south in the afternoon with some rain likely in southern parts during the evening.

Highest temperatures of 11 to 14 degrees in light southwesterly or variable breezes, freshening near northwestern coasts.

Thursday night

Thicker cloud will build from the south early in the night with a spell of rain affecting much of Munster and Leinster, turning heavy at times, especially in southern areas.

Some clear spells further north, though some rain may also edge into southern parts of Connacht and Ulster for a time too.

Lowest temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees.

Friday

Outbreaks of rain will affect parts of Munster and south Leinster through the morning, but these will gradually clear to the southeast during the afternoon with brighter, mainly dry weather, following.

Ulster and Connacht will be mostly dry and sunny, but frequent showers will feed into coastal parts on a brisk northwest breeze and some will be heavy.

Highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees generally, northwest winds will be moderate overland and fresher near exposed coasts.

Becoming mostly dry and clear for Friday night with showers mainly affecting northwestern coasts. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees.

Saturday

It will bring sunny spells and scattered showers, most frequent over Ulster, north Connacht and north Leinster. Some will be heavy, likely with the chance of hail.

Further south and east showers will be isolated. Mostly moderate northwest winds. Max temperatures 9 to 12 degrees.

Sunday

Cool and sunny with passing showers, most frequent near northern and northwestern coasts, but gradually dying out. Highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees, as winds ease.

Nights over the weekend will be cold and clear with temperatures in the low single figures giving some grass frost. Some mist and fog patches too on Sunday night.

Further Outlook

Current indications suggest that the early days of next week will be largely dry with a slight increase in temperatures after Monday.