Ireland is braced for a shock weather turn as temperatures nosedive below freezing and eerie conditions take hold.
Met Eireann says the mercury could plummet as low as -2C on Monday night, with patches of mist and fog in places as well as the risk of grass frost.
It marks a big change from the mild weather the country enjoyed over the Easter weekend, with thermometers reaching a balmy 18C on Good Friday.
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But now the country will have to make do with daytime temperatures of just 10C to 13C with “fresh and gusty” winds making it feel cooler.
It won’t be for long, however, as current indications suggest that temperatures will improve towards the end of the week.
In its latest forecast for Monday night, Met Eireann said: “Showers will become confined to the west coast tonight with long, clear spells elsewhere. It will be quite cold with lowest temperatures of -2C to 3C, so grass frost will develop in places. Patches of mist and fog will form too, in light and variable winds.”
Looking ahead to Tuesday it continued: “Tomorrow morning will be cloudy with outbreaks of rain in the west and northwest but everywhere else it will be dry with sunny spells. During the afternoon there will be sunny spells and scattered showers countrywide but the showers will become isolated by evening.
“Highest temperatures of 10C to 13C with light and variable breezes, gradually becoming northerly.
“On Tuesday night any lingering showers will die out early and it'll be mainly dry and clear overnight. Lowest temperatures of 0C to 2C with mist and fog patches developing in light breezes.”
The National Forecaster said there will be a slight improvement in temperatures on Wednesday.
It said: “On Wednesday there's a risk of rain and drizzle in the west where it will be cloudy at times, generally though it will be largely dry with some sunny spells. Highest temperatures of 10C to 15C in light to moderate southerly breezes. Temperatures overnight no lower than 4C to 6C.”
It will be more of the same on Thursday and Friday, while a mostly dry weekend is expected.
Met Eireann said: “On Thursday there'll be a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers, most frequent in the southwest of the country with the possibility of more persistent falls of rain at times there. Highest temperatures of 13C to 15C, coolest along eastern and southern coasts as light southeasterly winds freshen later.
“A moderate to fresh easterly wind will develop for Friday and temperatures, ranging 13C to 15C, will be highest in the southwest and lowest along coasts of the east and north. It'll stay mainly dry.
“Current indications suggest that the easterly winds stay with us through next weekend with mainly dry weather expected.”
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