Temperatures were forecast to fall to freezing on Wednesday night, while a status yellow rain warning is in place for Cork and Kerry on Thursday night.
Met Éireann said there would be spells of heavy rain in those regions from 11pm on Thursday until 12pm on Friday.
Met Éireann said Thursday will start cold, bright and mostly dry with just isolated showers.
However, cloud will build from the southwest through the morning and the showers will become heavier and more frequent for the afternoon as they move northwards across the country.
Rain will develop in the southwest by early evening. The highest temperatures will be 9 to 13 degrees with light to moderate south to southeast winds.
Thursday night will be wet and breezy across most of the country with showery rain moving northwards.
The rain will be heavy at times and may cause localised flooding. Lowest temperatures will be about 4 to 8 degrees with moderate to fresh east to southeast winds developing.
Friday will be wet and breezy with showery rain continuing, getting heavy at times and possibly causing localised flooding.
The Easter bank holiday weekend looks like being more of the same unsettled conditions.
There will be a cloudy and damp start to Saturday, with further outbreaks of rain.
It will become generally drier as the day goes on but some patches of light rain or drizzle will linger in some areas, mainly in the west.
Highest temperatures will be in the region of 9 to 15 degrees with moderate to fresh easterly winds, easing later.
