-- Temperatures will average near normal values.
-- Rainfall will be 10 to 25 per cent of normal, and most of that will be today.
-- Sunshine will be near normal to 25 per cent above normal (probably best towards west coast).
FORECASTS
TODAY will be mostly cloudy, rather misty with outbreaks of drizzle or light rain in a few places, becoming somewhat more persistent over western counties later today. Highs 12 to 15 C.
TONIGHT will be misty with drizzle or light rain in some areas, tending to dry out towards dawn, lows 4 to 7 C.
TUESDAY will become partly cloudy and in some areas sunny, highs 12 to 15 C.
WEDNESDAY (17th) will have some morning frost or fog, lows -2 to +3 C, followed by mild to warm sunshine, weak sea breezes may keep a few places somewhat cooler but highs for most 14 to 17 C.
From THURSDAY to SATURDAY it's a case of this fine weather being cooled down slightly over eastern counties in particular by somewhat more cloud cover, and locally cooling sea breezes, as a light northeasterly wind flow sets in. The least change from mid-week will be felt over the western half of the country which could see highs continuing in the 13 to 16 C range. Further east, that slight cooling will drop highs to 9 to 12 C. Scattered light frosts may continue with cloud cover determining the extent of it.
From SUNDAY to MONDAY the cooling trend should cease and it could be quite warm again with sunshine in places and highs 13 to 16 C. Increasing cloud late Monday may lead to light rain for some areas Monday night into TUESDAY then partial clearing and near average late March temperatures. The rest of the month will continue with that sort of bland and reasonably warm conditions.
-- Peter O'Donnell for IWO