Cold day with sleet and possibly snow this afternoon

Weather Update

Unsettled conditions this weekend, with rain or blustery showers but becoming milder and more settled towards the end of the period.

Rain will quickly clear on Saturday morning with sunny spells and showers following from the west, some of hail with isolated thunderstorms possible. Showers will turn to sleet through the afternoon and evening, possibly falling as snow over high ground. While the morning will start mild, temperatures will drop through the day with early afternoon highs of 4 to 7 degrees, in fresh and gusty westerly winds, increasing very strong near Atlantic coasts.

Showers will become confined to western and northern coastal counties on Saturday night with long dry periods and clear spells elsewhere. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 4 degrees generally, holding a little milder near Atlantic coasts.

Apart from a few wintry showers in the northwest at first it will be a mostly dry start to the day on Sunday. However, rain will develop in the southwest and spread northeastwards to all areas through the afternoon and evening. Afternoon temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees, but becoming milder during the evening as moderate southeasterly winds veer southwesterly.

Sunday night will be mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain and drizzle mainly along western and northern coasts. Lowest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees early, with temperatures rising through the night as southwest winds increase moderate to fresh.

Mild and mostly cloudy on Monday with outbreaks of rain or drizzle in the west during the morning, extending eastwards during the afternoon. After a mild start afternoon highs will range from 9 to 13 degrees but cooling through the afternoon with fresh southwest winds veering westerly and moderating by evening. The rain will clear on Monday evening with scattered showers following into the northwest overnight.

Sunny spell across the east on Tuesday with more showery conditions in the west. Highest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees in light to moderate westerly winds.

Wednesday will bring sunny spells in the south and east, cloudier with patchy outbreaks of rain in the north and west. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees in light to moderate southwesterly winds.

High pressure building to the southwest will bring more settled and drier conditions through the end of the work week with slightly above average temperatures.