Minus six forecast for tonight
Weather Update
Today (Tuesday) will continue very cold with frost and ice clearing very slowly and persisting in some areas. It will be largely dry with daytime highs of just 1 to 4 degrees with light to moderate north to northeast breezes, and just an isolated wintry shower in the east.
It will be exceptionally cold tonight with a widespread severe frost and ice forming under largely clear skies. Chance of an isolated shower in the east. Lows of minus 1 to minus 6 degrees with light variable breezes. Some freezing fog patches are possible.
Wednesday will be bitterly cold with frost, ice and patchy freezing fog clearing very slowly, but persisting all day in some parts. Cloud will thicken from the northwest later, with rain developing by evening in western parts of the province. Daytime highs will range zero to 3 degrees generally, with temperatures remaining sub-zero in some inland parts.
Temperatures will continue to be well below normal this week with widespread and severe frost and ice. Becoming less cold over the weekend.
Outbreaks of rain in the west and northwest will edge southeastwards over the country on Wednesday night, turning to sleet and snow in places, particularly across parts of midlands and north leading to poor travelling conditions. Lowest temperatures of -3 to +2 degrees, with frost and icy patches. Freezing fog patches may also occur overnight in the light variable breezes, which will become light westerly by morning.
Mostly cloudy to begin on Thursday with a decaying band of rain, sleet and snow continuing to push southeastwards of the country preceded by frost, ice and patchy freezing fog. Brighter conditions with sunny spells will gradually extend to all areas from the northwest during the afternoon, with showers becoming largely confined to coastal counties of Connacht and Ulster. Daytime highs of 2 to 4 degrees in light westerly breezes becoming light to moderate northwest later. Largely dry and clear on Thursday night, apart from wintry showers near Connacht, Ulster and Leinster coasts. Lows of -2 to +1 degrees with widespread frost and icy patches. Light northwest breezes, occasionally moderate near coasts.
Looking ahead to Friday and many areas will remain dry with sunny spells. However, wintry showers of rain, hail and sleet may affect western, northern and eastern coasts. Daytime highs of 2 to 5 degrees with light or moderate northerly breezes. Turning very cold again on Friday night under long clear spells with lows of -1 to -4 degrees with a widespread severe frost and icy patches forming. Any remaining wintry showers near eastern and southeastern coasts will die out overnight. Cloud will thicken over Ulster by morning.
Frost and ice will slowly clear on Saturday morning but may linger all day in some parts. It will be a cloudier day over the northern half of the country, with patchy rain or drizzle in the west and north. The best of the brighter weather will be further south and east. Daytime highs of 2 to 5 degrees generally, but a few degrees milder under the thicker cloud and patchy rain in the west and north. Mainly light westerly breezes.
Sunday will bring a mix of cloud and bright spells. It will be a largely dry day overall but there will be a few patches of rain and drizzle about. Less cold in light to moderate southwest breezes with maximum temperatures recovering somewhat at 4 to 8 degrees.
Current indications for early next week suggest temperatures will return closer to average with a mainly southwesterly airflow establishing.