The weekend weather forecast looks to bring a mixed bag with humid temperatures and outbreaks of rain and drizzle along with breezy conditions in some areas.

Starting with today (Friday, July 4), Met Éireann has forecast some bright spells in the east and south at first, but outbreaks of rain and drizzle in the north and west will spread south-eastwards across the country through the day.

The rain will turn heavy at times in the west. It will become rather windy with a moderate to fresh, occasionally strong, and gusty south-westerly wind developing.

Highest temperatures will range from 14°C to 20°, warmest in the south.

Tonight will be cloudy and misty with outbreaks of rain and drizzle with hill and coastal fog too.

It will be breezy at first with a moderate to fresh and gusty west to south-west wind, easing light to moderate overnight and lowest temperatures of 12° to 15°.

Saturday will be a mostly dull day with patchy light rain and drizzle. The best of any sunny spells will be in the south and east, where it will be warm and humid.

Highest temperatures will range between 14° in the north-west and 22° in the south-east, in a moderate westerly breeze.

Saturday night will be mostly cloudy with scattered outbreaks of rain or drizzle and patches of mist and fog. Lowest temperatures will range from 11° to 14° with light to moderate westerly winds.

It is expected to be cloudy at first on Sunday with scattered outbreaks of rain or drizzle. Brightening up through the afternoon and evening with sunny spells and scattered showers.

It will be breezy with a moderate to fresh and gusty north-westerly wind with highest temperatures ranging from 14° in the north-west to 20° in the south-east.Sunday night is forecast to be mainly dry with clear spells, but cloudy with isolated showers at times in the west and north. Lowest temperatures will range from 9° to 13° with light to moderate north-westerly winds.

There will be a few showers on Monday, but most places will stay dry. It will be rather cloudy with just occasional sunny intervals.

Highest temperatures ranging from 14° in the north-west to 20° in the south-east, in a moderate north-westerly breeze.Monday night is expected to be mostly dry with a mix of cloud and clear spells and lowest temperatures of 9° to 12° with a light west to north-west wind.Tuesday will be mainly cloudy and dry, although a few isolated showers are possible. Highest temperatures of 16° to 21° with a light to moderate west to south-west breeze.

Drying conditions will begin poor with rain or showers over the weekend, followed by drier conditions with just isolated showers through the week.

Spraying opportunities will also be limited at times in showers over the coming week, but will increase through midweek conditions turn more settled.

Soil moisture deficits (SMDs) across well drained and moderately drained soils are close to saturation in parts of the west and north-east while some poorly drained soils in parts of the west and north-east are waterlogged.

Elsewhere SMDs currently range between 20mm and 50mm for all soil types, with some restriction to growth.

Over the coming week, SMDs in the west and north will fluctuate but are expected to improve slightly by the end of the week. Elsewhere, SMDs will generally remain the same with further restriction to growth.

A potato blight advisory is in effect from today (Friday, July 4) until the end of tomorrow, Saturday, July 5.

Weather conditions conductive to the spread of potato blight will affect coastal regions in the north and west, with marginal risk elsewhere.