ALERT: Nasty surprise in Met Éireann's Bank Holiday weekend weather forecast

Met Éireann have warned that despite a largely dry and sunny start on Friday, the St Brigid's Day Bank Holiday weekend will bring a return to unsettled weather to Ireland.

They are predicting "a changeable weather pattern for the early days of February with rain and showers at times but also plenty of dry weather."

While Friday was mainly dry and sunny, Met Éireann say "it'll start to turn cloudier in parts of the west though towards evening [Friday]. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees with light west to southwest or variable breezes for much of the day, backing southerly later and starting to freshen a little along the western seaboard."

"Becoming rather breezy tonight [Friday] with patchy light rain, drizzle and mist moving into the southwest and west from early on. It looks set to hold mostly dry elsewhere albeit with increasing amounts of cloud. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 4 degrees, occurring early in the night across the eastern half of the country, with the chance of a touch of frost for a time. Temperatures won't fall below 5 to 9 degrees further west, and it'll become less cold further east too by morning. Southerly winds will increase moderate or fresh, strongest along the west coast.

"It will be mostly cloudy and rather breezy on Saturday with scattered patches of light rain and drizzle along with some hill and coastal mist and fog. However, there will be lots of dry weather overall too, especially across north Leinster and east Ulster, where it may stay completely dry during daylight hours. Maximum temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees in fresh to strong southerly winds."

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The forecast continues: "Early on Saturday night, a band of rain will push in from the Atlantic and extend gradually eastwards across the country. A clearance will follow across the western half of the country before dawn on Sunday. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees with fresh and gusty southerly winds veering westerly and easing overnight.

"Rain and drizzle in eastern areas will clear quickly on Sunday morning to leave a dry and bright day across the country. There'll be good spells of hazy sunshine but it will become overcast in the northwest later in the day. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees in moderate to fresh southwest winds. It looks set to be mostly dry on Sunday night but there is the chance of a little rain or drizzle in Atlantic coastal areas. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees in the east and 7 to 10 degrees in the west. Southerly winds will increase fresh to strong by dawn on Monday.

"It is expected to be a breezy day on Monday with outbreaks of rain pushing in from the Atlantic to affect the west and northwest. It is likely to hold mostly dry elsewhere apart from the odd spot of rain or drizzle. Maximum temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees in fresh to strong southerly winds. On Monday night, outbreaks of rain will extend eastwards across the country, turning heavy at times, especially in the south. Minimum temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees with strong southerly winds, veering southwesterly and easing overnight.

"Current indications suggest that Tuesday will start out cloudy and wet with outbreaks of rain. However, drier and brighter conditions will extend from the west through the morning. Highest afternoon temperatures on Tuesday ranging from 6 to 9 degrees in moderate west to southwest breezes."