Drop in temperature but we should miss the snow

Freezing: We should miss the snow that will hit the UK. Photo: Collins

Clodagh Sheehy

KEEP the snow shovels in the shed this week. Unlike the UK, Ireland is unlikely to have any snowfalls over the next few days but it will be distinctly chillier than recent weeks.

Tonight brings the first real taste of winter with lots of frost and temperatures dropping below freezing.

A 'short sharp cold snap' is predicted for tonight and tomorrow and Met Eireann warns there will be showers of hail and sleet but mostly on high ground in the northwest of the country.

Frost is likely to be widespread with icy patches on untreated roads and motorists have been warned to take care.

Showers

Tomorrow gets off to a cold start and the frost will take time to clear.

The showers along the western and northern coasts will also turn more persistent and gradually extend eastwards.

By nightfall conditions will be quite wintry, especially on higher ground and it will be another frosty night.

While temperatures will ease a little on Wednesday morning, this will not last.

Showers will become widespread in the west and northwest by late afternoon followed by a cold, frosty night.

From Thursday to the weekend it is expected to be dry and bright but remaining cold.

The mercury will dip lower than normal for this time of year during the day and at night the temperatures will drop below zero.

Next weekend is likely to be very cold but mostly dry.

The UK is braced for up to 10cm of snow in some places over the next few days but Met Eireann says it will be "nothing as bad as that here".

By tomorrow freezing temperatures of -3C will be widespread across Britain as cold air from the Arctic blows down over the country.

csheehy@herald.ie