The coming week will be mainly dry and warm across the country, but more unsettled conditions are expected towards the weekend, according to Met Éireann.

The weather forecast shows that today (Monday, July 29) will be cloudy, the best of the sunny spells in the east and southeast. Most dry apart from patchy rain in the west, the odd stray shower elsewhere.

The highest afternoon temperatures will range from 16°C in the northwest to 22° in the southeast, with a light to moderate southwest wind.

Tonight the patchy rain in the west and northwest will push southeastwards and ease. Lowest temperatures of 9° to 14° in a light westerly or variable breeze, some mist or fog will form in places.

On Tuesday, it will be warm and mainly dry with some sunny breaks, cloudier in the north where there will be occasional rain and drizzle which will ease later in the day.

Highest temperatures of 17° to 23° with a light northwest or variable breeze.

Dry on Tuesday night with clear spells, some mist and fog will develop in the light breezes, lowest temperatures of 9° to 13°.

Wednesday will be warm and generally dry with sunny periods, highest temperatures of 20° to 24° in a light southerly or variable breeze.

Dry with clear spells on Wednesday night, cloudier conditions in the west and southwest which will bring some light rain and drizzle by morning. A humid night with temperatures lingering around 11° to 14° in variable light breezes.

Thursday will bring dry and sunny weather initially, however cloud and scattered showers will move in from the west as the day progresses. Staying warm in highest temperatures of 20° to 23° in light to moderate southwesterly breezes.

It will become more overcast on Friday with outbreaks of rain pushing in from the Atlantic. It will be slightly cooler than previous days with highest temperatures of 17° to 21°.

Current indications suggest that conditions will become more unsettled by the weekend with spells of rain, highest temperatures dropping back to values in the mid to high teens.

Met Éireann said that rainfall over the coming week is expected to range from 10-20mm with the majority of that rainfall expected from Friday onwards.

Mean air temperatures over the next seven days are forecast to average around 1° above the July mean. It will be warm during the first half of the week but turning cooler for the weekend. Soil temperatures will also stay above normal.

The drying conditions will be fairly good until Wednesday, particularly in the east and south, conditions will become poorer later in the week.

Good opportunities for spraying in general today and tomorrow, especially in the east and south of the country.

Soil moisture deficits (SMDs) will fluctuate somewhat through the course of the week.

However, with less than average rainfall expected, values will increase to between 15 and 60mm for most of the country. However, SMDs will remain lower in the northwest, with SMDs between 5 and 15mm.