Short cold snap hits region

 

Temperatures are expected to fall below freezing later this evening as scattered snowfalls are being reported across many parts of the county this morning.

It follows the issuing of a Status Yellow 'Snow/Ice' warning for all of Connacht, as well as counties Cavan and Donegal yesterday (Sunday) evening.

The warning was valid from 6pm on Sunday, January 26, and will remain in place until 11am later this morning, Monday, January 27, bringing with it “wintry showers will bring some accumulations of snow, especially on high ground.”

Met Eireann are reporting “very cold” conditions across much of the country this morning, though mixed with “sunny spells, wintry showers and some icy patches”. They forecast snow showers in Connacht and Ulster and also a risk of thunder, but this “turning more to rain and sleet” during the day except on high ground.

The wintry showers are expected to spread eastwards through the late afternoon and evening. “Highest temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees with moderate to fresh, gusty southwest winds,” say the national weather office, noting that tonight, those wintry showers will gradually become “confined” to the west and north.

“Some will fall as snow, especially on high ground, but at lower levels also. Mainly dry in the east with clear spells and a sharp frost and icy stretches. Lowest temperatures of -1 to +1 degrees.”

The outlook for the coming days is for people to expect further scattered wintry showers on Tuesday, January 28, with the most frequent of those across the western half of the country.

Temperatures of between zero and plus 2 degrees can also be expected later tomorrow evening, and while mainly dry conditions are predicted for much of the country, showers are set to continue continue in Ulster.

Though continues are to change once again come mid-week, with the chill set to break.
“On Wednesday there'll be showery rain for a time, mostly through the northern and northeastern parts of the country, with mostly dry but cloudy conditions elsewhere,” say Met Eireann. “Temperatures will be between 7 and 9 degrees and winds will be moderate to fresh southwest to west. It'll be mainly cloudy over night keeping temperatures at around 3 or 4 degrees in the air.”