LATEST: Met Éireann pinpoint disastrous weather u-turn after glorious few days

Met Éireann is predicting a brutal change to our weather fortunes as we head towards the end of this week and into the weekend. The news follows a cold but sunny few days during which St Patrick's Day parades were celebrated in largely dry conditions. 

In their forecast for Wednesday evening, Met Éireann says: "Dry across most areas tonight with increasing cloud - just the odd spot of drizzle later across southwest counties. Lowest temperatures -1 to 6 degrees, coldest away from Munster with some frost setting in. A few mist patches too, in just light easterly or variable breezes.

"Very mild or even rather warm, Thursday, with spells of hazy sunshine. Highest temperatures 13 to 18 degrees, best values across the Midlands and West. Southeast winds will be mostly moderate, occasionally fresh in strength," forecasters continued.

"Dry for most parts [Thursday night] night with clear spells at first. However, cloud will build from the south through the night, bringing a few showers to southern parts of Munster and Leinster. Lowest temperatures 7 to 10 degrees in moderate to fresh southeasterly winds."

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The change is coming beyond that with Met Éireann predicting weather will turn "unsettled generally from Friday with showers in the south at first, becoming more widespread through the day. Highest temperatures 12 to 15 degrees in moderate to fresh east to southeasterly winds.

"There'll be further showers or longer spells of rain on Friday night with lows of 6 to 9 degrees.

"The weekend will also bring showers or occasional rain. It will start mild with temperatures of 10 to 14 degrees on Saturday, but it will be cooler on Sunday as northerly breezes set in.

"Showers will become more scattered later in the weekend, and current indications suggest, that Monday will be largely dry and bright with a mix of cloud and some sunny spells," the forecast concludes.