Met Eireann has warned that although temperatures will begin to rise over the weekend from the bitter cold we’ve been experiencing, it will be a short-lived increase.
Once the new week arrives, the big freeze will return once again with ‘below average temperatures’ expected for the time of year.
In the meantime, it is due to be mostly dry with clear spells this evening with temperatures falling quickly with frost and ice developing. A few showers are expected to affect parts of the north as the nighttime rolls around.
It’s going to be a very cold night with widespread frost and ice and lowest temperatures of below -5 degrees widely - reaching -8 or -9 degrees in some Midland areas by Thursday morning.
It'll be generally clear and dry in a light northerly breeze, though there will be a few showers in the north and northwest, falling as sleet and snow at times.
Temperatures on Thursday will remain below freezing during the morning nationwide, with some parts of the midlands staying well below freezing through the day.
Afternoon temperatures will be between 0 and +2 degrees - and a few degrees higher on coasts. It'll be mainly dry and sunny with just a few wintry showers in the north and northwest. Winds will be light northwesterly.
There'll be snow and sleet across parts of Ulster on Thursday night, most other places will stay dry.
Patches of freezing fog may develop as winds fall light while temperatures head as low as minus 7 degrees fairly widely, staying closer to zero to minus 2 degrees where fog thickens in a light westerly or variable breeze.
Friday may be foggy for a while in places, but it'll be mainly dry with isolated showers on coasts creeping inland into western areas in the afternoon.
It will still be very cold with afternoon temperatures no higher than 1 to 4 degrees in light to moderate southwest winds.
Lowest temperatures of minus 3 degrees to plus 2 degrees on Friday night, there'll be lingering showers of rain and sleet in western areas otherwise it will stay dry.
It will be mainly dry and sunny then on Saturday, apart from isolated coastal showers in the south and west. Turning cloudier after nightfall. Daytime temperatures of 2 to 4 degrees generally, and temperatures along the south coast will creep up to 7 or 8 degrees.
According to the Irish forecaster: "There is still a good deal of uncertainty in the forecast from Saturday night and Sunday onwards. Current indications suggest that an increasing southerly wind will bring rain and a spell of milder weather for a time".
As next week gets underway, temperatures are expected to be slightly below average for the time of year - compared to what will be seen over the weekend - particularly over the northern half of the country.
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