Frost, ice, and maybe some snow: Cold snap to bring freezing temperatures this week

Eva Osborne

This week will see frosty, icy, and possibly snowy conditions as a cold snap plunges Irish temperatures below freezing.

Tuesday night and Wednesday have the highest likelihood of producing wintry showers, according to Met Éireann.

While England faces an amber cold health alert with temperatures dropping as low as -10C this week, Ireland will experience a less severe but still notable cold snap.

Monday will continue to stay cool and mainly dry day with good spells of sunshine. Cloud will gradually increase over Ulster and Connacht. Highest temperatures will range from 6C to 10C in a light variable breeze.

Cold conditions will set in overnight, with temperatures reaching -1C in some places. There will also be frost and some icy patches.

There will be clear spells for a time on Monday night in Leinster and Munster. It will be cloudier further north.

Rain and drizzle will develop in the northwest and will spread southeastwards to most areas overnight.

Tuesday

On Tuesday morning, rain and drizzle will clear southeastwards with sunshine and scattered showers following from the northwest.

Some of the showers will be heavy, mainly further north, where there will be a chance of hail.

Tuesday night will be cold with scattered showers becoming more confined to parts of the north and northwest, with a few drifting into some western parts too at times.

Some of those showers, especially further north, will turn increasingly wintry, falling as sleet, with some snow too, especially over higher ground.

Lowest temperatures will range from -1C to 3C with some frost and ice, especially in sheltered parts.

Wednesday

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, where some generally modest accumulations can be expected.

Highest temperatures of 4C to 7C degrees, and feeling even colder with an added wind chill factor from moderate to fresh north to northwest winds, stronger near exposed coasts.

Wednesday night will bring further scattered showers, mainly in the north and northwest, some wintry, though the showers will become more isolated overnight.

Lowest temperatures of -2C to 3C, coldest in the east and south, with a fairly widespread frost and some icy conditions developing.

Thursday

Thursday will be dry and bright for most of the day, with long sunny spells and with just isolated showers, mainly in the north and northwest, still wintry at times.

Highest temperatures will range from 4C to 8C in mostly moderate northwesterly breezes, easing light through the day.

Thursday night will be cold with mostly clear skies at first, but with cloud increasing from the west overnight.

Lowest temperatures of -3C to 2C, with a fairly widespread frost and some icy conditions.

Friday

Friday will be dry to begin in all areas, and while it could stay dry in the east and southeast for daylight hours, rain will gradually spread from the northwest through the day.

Southerly winds will freshen too and will bring in milder air from the Atlantic with the rain. Highest temperatures of 6C to 11C.

There will be outbreaks of rain for a time on Friday night. The showers will clear southeastwards, with some scattered showers to follow.

Lowest temperatures of 3C to 8C, in moderate to fresh southerly winds, veering southwest and easing.

Weekend

Met Éireann said the weather will be mixed next weekend with sunshine and showers, some heavy and of hail.

It will not be as cold as during the week, but it will likely become cool enough with temperatures probably coming in around average or a little below and with some frost possible.