Met Éireann predict four-week settled spell to replace fog and bitter cold

However, after that, we’re in for four weeks of largely settled weather, thanks to a vast Atlantic high pressure zone. This mild spell will see daytime temperatures hit highs of above 14C, according to Met Éireann.

There will be intermittent cloud and rain over the weekend and into Monday, with frost warnings issued as temperatures are forecast to plummet as low as -4C.

The good news for walkers and outdoor sports enthusiasts is that the settled weather that will follow is to last until shortly before St Valentine’s Day .

However, the next few days are set to prove unsettled with the weekend marked by cloud, rain and subzero temperatures in some areas.

Gardaí and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) urged people to be careful when driving early in the morning – particularly on Monday – given the threat of a heavy frost as well as fog patches.

Met Éireann’s Linda Hughes said the forecast for next week and beyond is quite good. She said: “Any frost, mist and fog will clear on Saturday morning and it will be quite a cloudy day with patches of light rain or drizzle, but some sunny periods will develop too with highest temperatures of 5C to 10C.

“Sunday morning will be mostly cloudy with a few patches of light rain or drizzle and any mist or fog will be slow to clear. .”

She added it will prove quite cold on Sunday night and into Monday, with frost as temperatures dropping “to between -3C and -1C”.