The glorious sunshine experienced across Ireland over the weekend is set to continue into the week ahead, but a significant dip in temperatures and falls of sleet and snow are also expected in the coming days.
The forecast from now until next weekend is fairly promising overall, with high pressure bringing a good deal of dry weather and only a sprinkling of showers, particularly on Wednesday and later in the week.
Conditions will feel a lot different than they did in recent days, however, when temperatures hitting the mid to high teens amid only mild winds made it feel like summer in Ireland for the first time in a long time.
Those conditions will prevail into Monday, when temperatures will again reach as high as 15 degrees with plenty of sunny spells and only patches of showers, most likely in Ulster and south Munster.
In a sign of things to come, however, the mercury will plunge on Monday night, with temperatures dropping to as low as -1 degrees, bringing frost to the northern half of the country where the biting cold will be most keenly felt.
Although it will be another pleasant day, it will feel a lot cooler on Tuesday, with temperatures reaching highs of only 8 degrees before they once again drop to freezing or below on Tuesday night.
Wednesday is shaping up to be the worst day of the week on the weather front. It will be cold and breezy with showers more scattered than they have been of late, potentially turning to sleet and snow in areas of high ground. Temperatures will again go no higher than 8 degrees during the day before dropping below freezing on Wednesday night.
Looking ahead to Thursday and Friday and into the weekend, it will be cold again but ‘with a good deal of dry weather’. There is a risk of sleet and snow among the showers that will affect the east and north more than the rest of the country and frost will accompany temperatures that will drop to as low as -2 degrees on Friday night.
Temperatures look set to pick up on Saturday and Sunday, meanwhile, on what promises to be a ‘bright and sunny’ St. Patrick’s weekend, with the cold weather at nighttime bringing patches of mist and fog nationwide.
Check out the Met Éireann forecast for the week ahead below.
Monday
Today will be mainly dry. This morning, patches of mist or fog will clear with sunny spells developing. A few patches of drizzle are possible, mostly likely in Ulster and in south Munster. Highest temperatures of 9 to 11 degrees in Ulster and east Leinster and from 12 to 15 degrees elsewhere with moderate northeasterly winds.
Tonight will be cold and mainly dry with clear spells in many areas and some mist or fog patches. There'll be a bit more cloud in parts of Leinster and Munster with perhaps a little drizzle. Lowest temperatures of -1 to +4 degrees with frost developing, mainly over the northern half of the country with moderate northeast breezes.
Tuesday
On Tuesday morning, any frost and mist or fog patches will clear to give a mainly dry day with sunny spells. In the evening, scattered showers will move down over Ulster. Quite cold with highest temperatures of 6 to 8 degrees with light to moderate northerly breezes.
Tuesday night will be cold with clear spells and with scattered showers moving southwards overnight, some possibly wintry, especially on high ground. Lowest temperatures of 0 to +4 degrees in moderate northerly breezes.
Wednesday
Wednesday will be a cold, breezy day with sunny spells and some scattered showers, a few possibly wintry on some hills in the east and north. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees with moderate to fresh northeast winds. Wednesday night will be cold with clear spells and a few wintry showers. Lowest temperatures -1 to +4 degrees with some frost.
Thursday and Friday
Thursday and Friday will both be cold with a good deal of dry weather, but with some showers also, mainly in the east and north. A few may be wintry. Highest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees. The nights will be cold with frost, especially on Friday night when temperatures will fall to between -2 and 0 degrees.
Saturday and Sunday
Saturday and Sunday will be mainly dry with bright or sunny spells and mostly light breezes. Day time temperatures will range from 7 to 10 degrees. The nights will be cold with frost and some patches of mist or fog.
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