How long Ireland's big freeze weather will last as Met Eireann predicts snow

Met Éireann's forecast for Ireland's cold spell shows that freezing temperatures may stick around into next week amid warnings and advisories. 

Met Éireann has issued a nationwide Status Yellow low temperature and ice warning. It came into effect at 9pm on Monday and remains valid until 10am on Tuesday. 

The national forecaster has also issued a national weather advisory for low temperatures and ice which runs until Friday, January 12, at 10.30pm. Despite this, more warnings are likely this week and the cold spell looks like continuing into next week.

In its outlook for the rest of this week, Met Éireann says: "High pressure dominating this week, bringing mostly dry and cold weather with some sunshine. Frost and ice will develop at night along with patches of mist and fog."

For Monday, they say there will be "bright or sunny spells" in the afternoon and "dry, apart from some showers across the Northeast. Cold with highs of 2 to 6 degrees in mostly light easterly breezes."

Monday night "will be very cold with a widespread sharp to severe frost, and icy patches. Dry, apart from a few wintry flurries across the Southeast and East with a light dusting of snow occurring locally. Patches of mist or fog also. Lowest temperatures of -5 to +1 degrees in a light easterly breezes.

"Tuesday morning will begin frosty and icy with a light dusting of snow locally. It will be cold throughout with low winter sunshine occurring widely. Dry, apart from a few light showers across eastern coastal counties. Highest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees, in light to moderate easterly breezes. Frost and ice setting in quickly after-dark."

"Tuesday night will be cold with lowest temperatures ranging from -3 to +2 degrees. There will be frost and icy patches in many areas and some patches of mist and fog. Light easterly breezes.

"Wednesday will be another cold day, with patchy light rain along eastern coasts, and sunny spells further west. Highest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees with light to moderate easterly breezes. On WEDNESDAY NIGHT, frost and fog patches will develop, especially over the western half of the country. Lowest temperatures of -2 to +2 degrees

"Thursday will continue cold with mostly cloudy conditions in the east and bright or sunny spells further west. Highest temperature of 4 to 7 degrees, with temperatures overnight falling to between -3 and +1 degrees and with some fog patches developing.

"Friday will continue cold and mainly dry with frost and patches fog clearing slowly and with bright or sunny spells developing. Highest temperatures of just 2 to 5 degrees with light variable breezes."

Beyond that, Met Éireann says next weekend "will continue cold and mainly dry, however, some showers are likely to move down from the north at times. Day time temperatures will range from 4 to 7 degrees and there will be frost and icy patches at night."

In their extended forecast for next week, Met Éireann predict the icy weather sticking around.

"We will likely see high pressure situated to the northwest and low pressure situated over the continent. As a result, precipitation amounts are signalled to be close to normal or slightly above along eastern coastal areas but elsewhere precipitation is expected to below average. Temperatures into week 2 are also signalled to remain below average."