Met Éireann's latest forecast somewhat allay fears a Beast from the East-type weather event is weeks away from hitting the country.
In fact, the forecaster says our weather could get warmer at the end of February with "high pressure to remain the dominant influence over our weather" in the week from February 24.
This is despite the fact the Met Office in the UK has now confirmed the major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) that caused the Beast from the East in 2018 is forming again and heading towards Ireland and the UK. Its final effects here are still unknown at this point.
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Met Éireann tempered their forecast for warmer weather by saying this signal for high pressure from March 24 is "weaker" than that of the week before.
On the current models, Met Éireann predicts higher than average temperatures to occur for late February and early March.
"Precipitation amounts will also likely be lower than the seasonal norm for the week, again with the strongest signal for the south of the country," they said.
Despite this, the UK Met Office says winds are expected to change over the North Pole in the coming days with the unusual east to west swing potentially causing another Beast from the East
While weather officials are monitoring the system rolling in, they say it is still a couple of weeks off with early March pinpointed as the period we'll see the effects.
While Met Éireann is tight-lipped about specifics, they do say "uncertainty grows" in their forecast for that period, from March 3 to March 9.
"Unce
rtainty grows in the forecast, though a slight signal for high pressure remains nearby the country, to the northwest," they said.
"This leads to a weak signal for slightly higher than average temperatures. Precipitation amounts are again forecast to be below average for early March, though confidence is lower at this stage."
They say the same uncertainty lingers in their forecast for the following week right up to March 16 when there is "little in the way of a signal for high or low pressure to affect the country."
"This leads to little to no signal for temperatures to be above or below the seasonal average for mid-March. There is however some signal for precipitation amounts to remain below average, though confidence in the trend is low at this stage."
Looking to the coming days, Met Éireann said there will be duller conditions on Friday with outbreaks of rain or drizzle spreading northwards from the southwest through the afternoon.
"Cloudy and breezy tonight [Friday] becoming wet in many areas especially across Ulster where the rain will be heaviest and most persistent.," the latest forecast continued.
"Fresh and gusty westerly winds will be strong at times in Atlantic counties. Rain will ease later in the night with some clear spells developing. Coolest in the north early on with lows of 5 to 8 degrees, otherwise it will be a mild night with temperatures of 9 to 11 degrees."
Saturday will be "mostly cloudy" with occasional outbreaks of light rain or drizzle. There will be good dry periods too, with some brief hazy sunny spells. Highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees with a moderate to fresh westerly airflow, occasionally strong.
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