Met Eireann pinpoint days for -3 degree cold snap before two big changes

Met Éireann has pinpointed a further downturn in temperatures amid a brief cold spell of weather for Ireland with sleet reported in some parts of the country on Thursday.

Temperatures will fall back to -1 degrees on Thursday night but will fall further to -3 on Saturday night amid the mini cold snap for Ireland, according to Met Éireann latest forecast.

They said: "Tonight [Thursday] will be cold with frost and possibly ice as temperatures fall to between -1 and +3 degrees. There will be clear spells and scattered showers, most frequent in the west. Some will be heavy with hail and sleet, with some snow possible on high ground. Light to moderate west to southwest winds, occasionally increasing fresh and gusty.

"Cold with sunny spells and scattered showers, most frequent in the west [on Friday]. Some will be heavy with hail, and sleet is possible on high ground. Light to moderate west to southwest winds, occasionally increasing fresh and gusty. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees.

"Scattered showers will continue on Friday night, turning wintry on high ground. It will be cold with lowest temperatures of -2 to +3 degrees, so frost and ice are possible, particularly in northern areas. Light to moderate southwest to west winds, occasionally fresh to strong and gusty in the west, and becoming northwesterly overnight," the forecast continues.

Forecasters are expecting "a lot of dry and bright weather on Saturday as rain showers become isolated" but "cloud will increase in the southwest during the evening. Highest temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees with a light to moderate northwesterly wind.

"Most areas are expected to remain dry on Saturday night, however there is a chance that rain and drizzle will move into the southwest and south. Cold and frosty across most of the country, with lowest temperatures of -3 to +2 degrees. Some icy stretches are possible. Areas of mist and fog will form in light, variable winds.

"Mostly dry at first, although there is a chance of some rain or drizzle in the south [on Sunday]. Scattered showers will develop in the northwest during the morning and will track southeast in the afternoon, becoming isolated. Highest temperatures of 6 to 8 degrees in a light to moderate north to northeast wind."

Sunday night will be mostly dry and clear, with just isolated showersand "lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees with a light to moderate north to northwest wind."

Beyond that, Monday will be "mostly dry with sunny spells at first, although cloud is likely to increase through the day. Highest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees with a light to moderate northwesterly wind."

The slight reprieve and dry weather will be short-lived with an unsettled Atlantic system on the cards for most of next week.