Temperatures to drop to as low as -2 degrees, with some hail and snow expected

Some snow and sleet is expected on higher ground this week, Met Éireann has said

Cian O'Broin

Met Éireann has warned that temperatures will drop to as low as -2 degrees later this week, bringing with it the possibility of showers full of sleet and snow on higher ground.

The national forecaster has said it will be cloudy this morning with a band of rain extending south-eastwards across the country.

A clearance to sunshine and some well scattered showers will quickly follow from the northwest through the morning and early afternoon. The showers will mainly be in the north and west.

Highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees with moderate to fresh and gusty southwest winds, strong at times in western coastal parts, veering westerly as the rain clears and decreasing mostly moderate. Winds will decrease light southerly this evening.

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It will be mainly dry for a time tonight, however rain will spread from the southwest overnight, becoming heavy at times.

Becoming rather windy too with southerly winds increasing fresh to strong and gusty. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 7 degrees early in the night, coolest in the north.

Tomorrow will start off cloudy and wet, with widespread rain, heavy at times.

The rain will clear eastwards through the morning, with a scattering of showers following and some bright or sunny spells. Rather windy too, with fresh to strong southwest winds, veering westerly and generally easing later.

Highest temperatures of 10 to 13 or 14 degrees in the morning, but turning cooler though as the rain clears.

Tomorrow night will bring some clear spells for a time and a scattering of showers, before a spell of rain spreads from the west, clearing again overnight.

Turning colder once the rain clears, with clear spells and showers following, some heavy and of hail, with a chance of thunder. Some will turn to sleet or possibly snow, mainly over higher ground.

Breezy with moderate to fresh and occasionally gusty southerly winds, veering southwest to west and decreasing mostly moderate inland. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 4 degrees, with a touch of frost possible later in sheltered parts.

Thursday will be cold and bright with sunshine and showers, some heavy and of hail with the possibility of hail and thunder, with the showers most frequent across the western half of the country.

Some of the showers will fall as sleet and snow, mainly over higher ground.

“Colder than recently with highest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees. Breezy; with moderate to fresh and occasionally gusty southwest to west winds, stronger in the southwest,” Met Éireann said.

Thursday night will be cold with further showers, especially in parts of the west and northwest, where some will be wintry over higher ground.

Mainly dry with long clear spells further east. Lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees, coldest in the midlands and east, with some frost and ice. Winds will be moderate to fresh southwest to west, strongest in coastal parts of the west and southwest.

Friday will once again will be cold, breezy and showery, some of the showers heavy, of hail and some of sleet and snow, mainly over higher ground.

The showers will be most frequent in the west, and there's the chance that some will be thundery too. There'll be bright or sunny spells too, the best of these further east.

Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees in moderate to fresh and gusty westerly winds.

Showers will mainly become confined to coastal parts of the west and north on Friday night, and some will still be wintry over higher ground.

Mainly dry elsewhere with long clear spells. Cold with some frost and ice with temperatures falling to between -2 and 2 degrees, coldest in the midlands and east, in mostly light to moderate winds, fresher in the west and veering west to northwest overnight.

Saturday will bring a lot of dry weather overall, with some sunshine, though with cloud increasing from the west.

There will still be a scattering of showers around, these mainly of rain, and they'll tend to die away later. Highest temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees in mostly moderate west to northwest winds.

Rain will spread from the west on Saturday night, becoming heavy at times. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 4 degrees in freshening southeasterly winds.

“Sunday is likely to bring more rain or showers. Highest temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees,” Met Éireann added.