A major U-turn in recent bitter conditions is due to arrive this weekend as a warmer front brings milder temperatures and an end to the recent snowfall.
Ahead of this welcome change however, Met Eireann has yet another ice warning in place nationwide, and this time it’s over the arrival of ‘freezing rain’ alongside the forecasted snow and ice.
The status yellow alert is in place until 12:00 pm today (Thursday), with the forecasters warning of “Icy stretches leading to hazardous travelling conditions”.
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In the warning, they go on to pinpoint a more unusual ‘freezing rain’ as part of it saying: “Wintry showers continuing. Freezing rain possible in the southwest. Freezing fog patches”.
As for today, frost and ice are expected in parts this morning with hazardous conditions. “Outbreaks of rain and sleet across the northwest and southwest will clear through the morning,” Met Eireann says.
“Mostly dry weather will follow for the rest of the day with good sunny spells, although some mist and fog may set in across the southwest later. Another cold day with highest temperatures of just 1 to 5 degrees in near calm”.
It will be very cold again tonight with frost and icy stretches but dry early on with some clear spells. Mist will thicken into dense freezing fog in parts and later in the night, drizzle will move into the west and southwest counties.
Lowest temperatures of -4 to -1 degrees re expected, and it will be colder locally across Ulster, in just light southeast breezes.
Friday will see drizzle arriving across the southwest and west counties will tend to peter out with mostly dry conditions countrywide. Meanwhile, some bright or sunny spells will develop, but it will be mostly cloudy with mist or fog persisting across parts of the midlands.
Temperatures will begin to rise at this point with highs of 4 to 8 degrees - the best of which are expected across Munster and Connacht with just light southeast breezes.
There will be some frost or ice early on Friday night across the north and east, before cloud increases feeding in patchy drizzle along southern and western fringes. Lowest temperatures of -2 to +3 degrees is expected, in light to moderate south to southeast breezes.
Saturday will be generally dry and cloudy to begin, however, patchy outbreaks of rain will develop, and be at their heaviest later in the evening. Highest temperatures of 8 to 10 degrees will be felt in mostly moderate southerly winds, fresher along coasts.
That night, it will be mostly cloudy with scattered outbreaks of rain, heaviest in the south with hill, mist and coastal fog too. Lowest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees are due at this point in light to moderate southerly breezes.
Sunday will be a wet day to begin as overnight rain clears into the Irish Sea. It going to be generally dry in the afternoon with more in the way of sunny spells. Highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees are expected in mostly light southwest breezes.
Monday will be mostly dull with patchy outbreaks of rain, however amounts look fairly minimal with low cloud and coastal fog due too. It will feel mild with highest temperatures of 11 to 13 degrees in light southwest breezes.
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