cold snap Temperatures to plunge to -3C as unsettled weather moves across the country

The mercury will plunge to as low as -3 tonight in some places, particularly in the north and east where some frost will develop.

Cold weather (stock). (Joe Giddens/PA)

Neil Fetherstonhaugh

March 05 2021 08:53 AM

Temperatures are expected to take a dip over the next few days as a period of dry but unsettled weather moves in over the country.

The mercury will plunge to as low as -3 tonight in some places, particularly in the north and east where some frost will develop.

For today, the forecast is for a mix of cloud and sunny spells and while it will be largely dry, there will be some isolated patches of light rain or drizzle, mainly in coastal parts of Munster and Connacht. Temperatures will hover around the 6 to 9 degrees mark.

After a freezing cold night, with lowest temperatures ranging between -3 and 2 degrees, Saturday will start off dry, with sunny spells for many areas.

However, cloud will increase through the day and patchy rain will move into coastal parts of the west and northwest. It will be a cool day with highest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees, in light to moderate southerly breezes.

Tomorrow night will be mostly dry with a mix of cloud and clear spells, although there may be some patchy drizzle in coastal parts of the west and northwest at times. Temperatures will dip again, to -2 and 4 degrees, and it will be the coldest in the north and east where some frost will develop.

Sunday will be generally cloudy and dry but patchy light rain and drizzle will continue to affect coastal parts of the west and northwest. Highest temperatures will struggle to rise above 7 to 10 degrees.

While it will be dry in the east and southeast on Sunday night, rain will push into Ulster, Connacht and west Munster.

The rain will extend to all areas on Monday and will be heavy at times in the west. Afternoon temperatures will reach 7 to 10 degrees and winds will be mostly moderate, southerly veering westerly later.

The rain will gradually clear from the east and south on Monday night and will be followed by clear spells and isolated showers, mainly in the northwest. Some frost will form as temperatures fall to between -1 and 2 degrees and fresh southerly winds will develop on western coasts towards morning.

Tuesday will start off largely dry with good spells of sunshine in the east, but rain will move into the west during the morning and will extend across the country through the day, becoming heavy. It will become windy too, with fresh to strong and gusty southerly winds developing. Highest temperatures of 7 degrees in the northeast to 11 degrees in the southwest.

Met Eireann says the outlook is for unsettled conditions to remain with rain and showers, and breezy or windy at times too.