Snow is likely on the way for Ireland next week along with a bitterly cold Arctic blast, Met Eireann has confirmed.
While the weekend is expected to be mostly dry and calm, temperatures are set to plummet to "well below" zero on Monday night.
Some weather models are showing a shocking -8C "windchill" on Tuesday morning and it is forecast to snow on higher ground during the day.
READ MORE: 'Messy' weather models suggest snow could be on the way to Ireland
The national forecaster said: "Monday night will be very cold with temperatures dropping well below freezing.
"Tuesday will be a cold day with the chance of any showers turning to sleet and snow on hills and mountains."
Weather predictions beyond Tuesday remain "uncertain" amid an ongoing Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) event which adds a "high degree of uncertainty to the overall forecast".
In 2018, it was an SSW event that caused the ‘Beast from the East’ that left Ireland covered in deep snow - while the following year, there was another SSW event that had little impact on Ireland’s weather.
Meanwhile, Met Eireann's long-range forecast warns of "unstable" conditions after March 10.
Here is the four-week monthly forecast:
Week 1 - Friday March 3 to Thursday March 9
In Week 1, high pressure will be dominant to the north of Ireland with a mainly easterly airflow across the country. Temperatures will be average for the time of year. There will be below normal rainfall in all areas, with the driest weather over the western half of the country. No warnings or hazardous weather are expected.
Week 2 - Friday March 10 to Thursday 16 March 16
In Week 2 there will a change to much more unsettled conditions. Low pressure will dominate the weather with the airflow likely to be westerly or southwesterly. Conditions will be unstable near Ireland. Weather warnings or impactful weather are possible in this set up. Rainfall amounts will be above normal in all areas, with highest amounts in the west and southwest. Temperatures will trend above average by up to a degree.
Week 3 - Friday March 17 to Thursday March 23
There remains a signal for low pressure to be the main influence on Ireland’s weather in Week 3, although the signal is weaker than that of Week 4. Weather conditions will likely be unsettled or changeable throughout this week, with above normal rainfall for most areas. Warnings or impactful weather are possible in this set up. Temperatures on average this week will likely be near the climatological average.
Week 4 - Friday March 24 to Thursday March 30
In Week 4, there are signs that high pressure will build again to the north of Ireland, allowing a more settled, easterly airflow to develop. This would bring drier conditions, with a signal for below normal precipitation across most of the country. The south or east may continue to have average rainfall in this set up. Average temperatures for the week will likely be normal for late March.
Seasonal Trend
A Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) is on-going, which adds a high degree of uncertainty to the overall forecast. Given that caveat, the overall signal from the seasonal models for Ireland during spring (March, April, May), is for slightly above average temperatures with average rainfall. March, and possibly the beginning of April, are likely to be cooler and drier than average, with a transition to warmer and wetter conditions for May.
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