Ireland’s weather is set to take a turn in the coming days, as an “arctic air mass” is forecast to bring below freezing temperatures, frost, ice and snow.
National forecaster Met Éireann said it would be colder for the coming days, with frost and ice becoming “fairly widespread”.
Temperatures dropped to -1 degrees on Monday night, with rain and drizzle developing in the northwest.
Tuesday morning is forecast to have rain and drizzle, which will clear south-eastwards with sunshine and scattered showers following from the northwest. Some of the showers will be heavy, mainly further north, where there’s a chance of hail.
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The forecaster said it would be “quite cold” with highest temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees.
Tuesday night will be a cold night with scattered showers becoming more confined to parts of the north and northwest of the country, with a few drifting into some western parts at times.
Elsewhere, it will become mostly dry with long clear spells. Some of those showers, especially further north, will turn increasingly wintry, falling as or sleet, with some snow too, especially over higher ground.
Lowest temperatures will be between -1 to 3 degrees with some frost and ice, especially in sheltered parts.
Wednesday will be a cold day with sunshine and scattered showers, most of those showers in Ulster, Connacht and parts of west Munster, but some possibly drifting into north Leinster too.
Some of the showers will fall as sleet and hail, with some snow too, especially over higher ground in the north and northwest.
Highest temperatures will be between 4 and 7 degrees, but it will feel even colder due to an added wind chill.
Wednesday night will bring further scattered showers, mainly in the north and northwest, some wintry, though the showers will become more isolated overnight.
Elsewhere, it will be mainly dry with long clear spells and lowest temperatures of -2 to 3 degrees, coldest in the east and south, with a fairly widespread frost and some icy conditions developing.
It will be dry and bright for most of Thursday, though there will be wintry showers at times, particularly in the north and northwest.
Temperatures will continue to be cold on Thursday night, from -3 to 2 degrees, and widespread frost and icy conditions.
Conditions will improve on Friday, though rain will gradually spread from the northwest throughout the day. Highest temperatures will be between 6 and 11 degrees during the day, and lowest temperatures 3 to 8 degrees that night.
The weather is expected to be mixed next weekend with sunshine and showers, some heavy and of hail. However, it will not be as cold as during the week.
