Met Eireann says Ireland is in for a “big shock” as a bone-chilling Arctic blast brings subzero temperatures, widespread frost and showers of sleet, snow and hail.
Its head of forecasting Evelyn Cusack warned the cold snap will last until next Monday and “possibly longer”, predicting temperatures as low as -7C.
“As we get into the Arctic blast, air temperatures will drop to -4C or -5C and ground temperatures maybe -6C or -7C,” she said.
READ MORE: Ireland weather LIVE updates as dangerous Arctic air hits and Met Eireann issue snow timeline
Evelyn revealed the freezing change in the recently mild weather will bring snow from Wednesday, and described the imminent cold front as a “real reverse” and a “big shock”.
She said: “That’s going to introduce Arctic air, the air mass will be coming directly down from the Arctic. That’s coming down into all of northern Europe and Ireland and the UK.
“That’s going to introduce very cold weather for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and next Monday, possibly longer.
“We will have daytime temperatures really close enough to zero, just low single figures at best. The night-time temperatures will be gradually dropping down.”
A nationwide ‘winter weather’ advisory is in place until Saturday, which reads: “Very cold this week as an Arctic airmass sets in, bringing sharp to severe frosts and icy stretches on roads. Showers of hail, sleet, and snow will occur during the second half of the week.”
A separate Status Yellow 'low temperature/ice warning' has been issued from 10pm Thursday until 10am Friday for the entire country. It reads: "Hazardous conditions. A sharp to severe frost with icy surfaces, as temperatures widely fall to - 4 degrees Celsius."
Wednesday’s wintry showers will first hit the north and northwest with snow particularly likely in Donegal.Sub-zero temperatures in the county could cause a “widespread sharp to severe frost and ice on untreated surfaces”.
The freezing conditions will move southwards, bringing sleet or snow, on a “bitterly cold” Thursday, as severe frost and icy stretches spread nationwide.
Check exactly when and where it will snow using Windy’s live weather map below.
Snow is represented by white snowflakes appearing in the rain.
Ireland five-day weather forecast
- This evening and tonight
Met Eireann said: “Most areas staying dry for the rest of today with spells of low winter sunshine, however it will be a little cloudier near southern and eastern coasts with possible showers. Rather cold with highest temperatures of 4C to 8C, in light variable mainly northeasterly breezes.
“Very cold tonight with a widespread sharp frost and icy stretches. Generally dry though isolated showers will occur, some wintry in the northwest later. Some mist and fog will also develop across the southmidlands and midwest. Lowest temperatures of -3C and 1C.”
- Wednesday
The national forecaster continued: “Wednesday will be a cold day with highest temperatures of only 2C to 4C. Dry for the main with crisp spells of low winter sunshine, however a few well scattered showers will feed into the north and west, with the odd wintry one falling to lower levels.
“There will be a widespread sharp frost with lows of -3C to 1C degrees with ice on untreated surfaces. Wintry showers will move southwards over the northern half of the country overnight and temperatures will rise marginally with falls of rain, sleet and snow, in some areas, that may lead to some very icy conditions.”
- Thursday
The forecast reads: “Very cold with temperatures only nudging above freezing in some areas with high of between 1C and 4C generally in light northerly breezes. Scattered outbreaks of rain, sleet, and possibly some snow over higher ground, will gradually push down over the south of the country. Sunny spells and some scattered wintry showers will follow. They will become confined to coastal parts through the afternoon.
“Another bitterly cold night with a widespread sharp to severe frost and some icy patches. Minimum temperatures of -4C to -1C in light northwest to west breezes. Most areas will be dry and clear, but there will be a few wintry showers at times, mostly near northern coasts.”
- Friday
The meteorological service said: “Staying very cold with temperatures once again struggling to get to 1C to 4C degrees in light westerly breezes. Most of the country will remain dry and quite sunny, but wintry showers will persist near coasts, especially in the west.
“Another widespread frost is expected with a mix of cloud and clear spells as lowest temperatures dip to between -3C and -1C generally. Wintry coastal showers will continue near western coasts. While a rogue wintry shower or two can't be ruled out elsewhere, it will mostly be a dry night. Fog, or freezing fog will develop as the night goes on, becoming quite dense through the midlands by morning.”
- This weekend
Met Eireann continued: “Very cold on Saturday with some parts of the midlands not expected to rise above zero as fog persists. Elsewhere generally only getting to 1C to 3C. Apart from the chance of coastal showers in the north and west, it will be a dry day with sunny spells. These becoming confined as the fog is expected to become more widespread through the afternoon and evening.
“Little change expected for Sunday and the early days of next week, while it will be mostly dry it will be raw with fog persisting in some areas, possibly up to the middle of the week.”
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