Met Éireann has forecast a mix of cloud and sunny spells for today ahead of weather warnings for rain coming into effect on Sunday.

Tonight will be cloudy and heavy rain will begin to move across Munster, bringing the possibility of some localised flooding. It will be windy in the southwest with fresh to strong and gusty southeasterly winds.

The rest of the country will remain dry with just a few isolated showers. Lowest temperatures will range from 4 to 10 degrees.

All of Munster will be under a Status Yellow rain and wind warning from 5am to 8pm on Sunday.

There will be persistent heavy rain and strong, gusty winds, potentially causing localised flooding, difficult travelling conditions and delays and some fallen branches or trees

A Status Yellow rain and wing warning for counties Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Wexford and Wicklow will also come into effect from 12pm on Sunday and remain in place until 2am on Monday.

From 8am until 6pm on Sunday, a Status Orange rain warning will be in effect for Cork and Waterford, with heavy rain and some intense, thundery downpours possibly leading to flooding, dangerous driving conditions and travel disruption.

Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford will be upgraded to a Status Orange rain warning from 1pm on Sunday to 12am on Monday.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has advised road users in the affected counties to exercise caution and check local traffic and weather conditions before making any journeys.

Drivers are advised to slow down and allow greater breaking distance to the vehicle in front, and to choose an alternative route if the road ahead is flooded.

With strong winds expected road users should be alert to objects being blown on to the road, fallen debris and other vehicles veering across the road.

Pedestrians have been advised to walk on the right-hand side of the facing traffic where there are now footpaths while cyclists should wear high visibility clothing and use front and rear lights on their bike.

Tomorrow will be “dull and wet” overall with widespread rain across the country, heaviest in the south and southeast.

There will also be fresh to strong and gusty southeasterly winds with onshore gales along the coast in the south and east. Highest temperatures on Sunday will be between 10 and 15 degrees.

Rain will begin to clear from the southeast overnight on Sunday and it will become dry across most of the country. Later in the night some rain will move into the northwest.

Looking ahead to next week, Monday will be mostly cloudy with some rain and showers, and turn drier in the south later in the day.

The poor weather looks set to break after that with both Tuesday and Wednesday forecast to be dry with some sunny spells and highest temperatures of 13 to 16 degrees.