Big Chill Ireland weather: Met Eireann warn of 'severe frosts', 'snow and sleet showers' and 'hazardous conditions'

Ireland is bracing for a four-day onslaught of freezing weather as Met Eireann warned of "severe frosts", low temperatures and "hazardous conditions" on roads and footpaths.

The national forecaster issued a nationwide advisory ahead of the big chill which came into effect at 06:03am on Sunday and will last until 6pm on Wednesday, February 10.

Met Eireann cautioned: "Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will be very cold with temperatures in low single figures by day and with sharp or severe frosts and icy patches at night.

"Showers of sleet or snow at times in eastern counties from Sunday evening onwards. Hazardous conditions on roads and paths."

Sunday will be mostly cloudy throughout the day with temperatures peaking at just two to five degrees.

A forecaster added: "Tonight will be cold and mainly dry with clear spells. A few wintry showers of sleet or snow will drift mainly into north Leinster and the eastern half of Ulster. Lowest temperatures of -2 to +2 degrees with a widespread sharp or severe frost and icy patches."

Heading into Monday, temperatures will continue to nosedive, with daytime highs of only one to four degrees before plunging to as low as -3 degrees after dark.

There will be scattered wintry showers of rain, sleet or snow, mostly in the eastern half of the country but many areas will be dry.

Met Eireann revealed: "Tuesday will continue very cold with further wintry showers of rain, sleet and snow feeding in from the east. They'll mainly affect the eastern half of the country, especially eastern coastal counties with moderate snow accumulations in places.

"It will be mainly dry further west with just isolated showers. Daytime temperatures of just one to three degrees with fresh easterly winds, strong on southern coasts. Tuesday night will be very cold with lowest temperatures of -4 to zero degrees with severe frost and ice causing hazardous conditions. Some further showers of sleet and snow in the east. Winds will ease overnight with fog patches developing."

Wednesday will continue very cold with daytime temperatures only reaching two or three degrees. There'll be a good deal of dry weather, though some further wintry showers are likely, especially in north Leinster and east Ulster.

The outlook for Thursday and Friday is uncertain at present, however, current indications suggest that on Thursday, rain, sleet and snow will move northeastwards over Ireland.

Some "significant accumulations" of sleet and snow are possible before it turns to rain.

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Online Editors