LIVE: Forecasters warn of Irish weather U-turn with wintry blast to follow spring sunshine

Ireland is enjoying a fine start to the final week of March, with sunny skies and settled conditions - but forecasters are warning of a dramatic temperature drop and wintry showers later this week.

Cathal Nolan from Ireland’s Weather Channel said Monday morning began with “bright blue spring sunshine” across the country and added that temperatures could climb to a mild 15 degrees in places.

“A sunny day ahead for many as the morning ground frost clears,” Nolan said. “Cloud will build in from the west later with a chance of some mist or drizzle here by the late afternoon or evening. Highs of 13–15 degrees Celsius.”

Met Éireann echoed that outlook in its national forecast, saying today will stay “largely dry with good sunny spells developing” and highs of 11 to 14 degrees in light winds.

Looking ahead to Tuesday, both forecasts suggest another settled day. Nolan said: “Tomorrow Tuesday will be another dry bright and sunny day as a ridge of high pressure keeps our weather settled once more. Light winds throughout, with highs tomorrow again up to 15 degrees Celsius.”

Met Éireann also expects sunshine to return after a cloudy morning: “It will gradually brighten up with dry and sunny conditions developing through the afternoon. Highest temperatures of 11 to 14 degrees in light northerly breezes.”

Tuesday night will be clear and cold, with Met Éireann forecasting lows of 1 to 4 degrees and Nolan warning of some patchy frost.

By Wednesday, the west will start to see cloud and drizzle return as a weak Atlantic front moves in. “Mist and fog will slowly clear… more persistent rain will move into the northwest later in the day,” according to Met Éireann. Temperatures will stay mild, ranging from 11 to 14 degrees.

Nolan added: “More cloud and mist/drizzle is likely in the west later in the day… Highs of 14 degrees Celsius with light to moderate westerly winds in the northwest.”

Thursday will be mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain in western and northern areas, according to Met Éireann. Nolan noted that “many southern and eastern areas [will] hold dry completely” before “a more active front pushes through in the evening hours and overnight.” Temperatures will remain mild, reaching 13 or 14 degrees in a fresh and gusty westerly wind.

But the big change will come on Friday. “A cold showery day on Friday with strong northwesterly winds feeding in plenty of heavy and at times wintry showers with hail and sleet possible for some,” Nolan warned. “Highs on Friday of 7–9 degrees Celsius, but feeling more like 3 or 4 degrees Celsius given the windchill.”

Met Éireann agrees that Friday looks unsettled, predicting “outbreaks of rain which may be heavy at times and some blustery westerly winds.”

Looking further ahead, Nolan expects a return to settled weather over the weekend and into next week, but also warned of a potential issue on the horizon.

“With the very dry start to the spring, coming off the back of what has in actual fact been a rather dry winter, I would not be surprised in the slightest to see warnings issued by mid-April about the conservation of water,” he said, pointing to the greater Dublin area, but later across other towns and municipal districts across the east and southeast of the country.

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