Arctic airmass to bring snow and freezing temperatures to Ireland this week warns Met Eireann

An Arctic airmass is to bring snow and freezing temperatures to Ireland this week, Met Eireann is warning.

Met Eireann has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Ireland for this week with very cold weather set to hit the country.

Met Eireann is warning that the weather will turn very cold this week as an Arctic airmass sets in, bringing sharp to severe frosts and icy stretches on roads.

Showers of hail, sleet, and snow will occur during the second half of the week.

Met Eireann says updates with potential warnings will be issued in the coming days. 

❄️Winter Weather Advisory issued❄️

Very cold this week as an Arctic airmass establishes itself over Ireland.

Updates with potential warnings will be issued in the coming days.

Full Advisory details⬇️https://t.co/ZsjQsKDvt6

Be Winter Ready guide⬇️https://t.co/Iz4QfmrzPJ pic.twitter.com/ODXUMn7lJF

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) December 4, 2022

The full Met Eireann weather forecast for the coming week is as follows..

Monday will bring mainly dry conditions to the north and northwest with sunny spells. Somewhat cloudier elsewhere with some scattered light showers. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees in mainly light or moderate northeasterly breezes, fresher near western and southwestern coasts.

#Longford: Met Eireann has issued a Weather Advisory Alert for Longford. Valid from Sun. 04/12 @ 11AM until Sat. 10/12 @ 11PM, see https://t.co/XW9ys8zWyn #WeatherWarning @longfordcoco https://t.co/pxdGpALOpY

— MapAlerter.ie (@MapAlerter) December 4, 2022

Monday night will see some scattered showers continuing near the east and south coast but it will be mostly dry elsewhere with clear spells. Lowest temperatures of -2 to 3 degrees, coldest in the north with a widespread frost setting in, in light or moderate northeasterly breezes.

Tuesday will be dry in most areas with good sunny spells in many areas. Just a few isolated showers especially near the east coast where it may be somewhat cloudier. Highest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees in light north to northeast breezes.

Very cold on Tuesday night with light northerly breezes and largely clear skies. Isolated showers may continue near the north and northwest coast. Widespread frost is expected as temperatures fall to between 0 and minus 4 degrees.

Good sunny spells on Wednesday, though it will remain chilly with afternoon temperatures reaching just 2 to 6 degrees. Dry for most areas. However, scattered showers will affect northern and northwestern coastal areas and these will edge further inland over Ulster and Connacht during the evening and night, turning increasingly wintry with falls of snow likely, especially on higher ground. Light north to northwesterly breezes. Bitterly cold overnight with temperatures below freezing countrywide leading to a widespread sharp to severe frost and icy stretches.

Thursday looks like a very cold day countrywide with sunny spells and scattered wintry showers of hail, sleet and snow in places. Temperatures in the low single figures in a light northerly breeze.

Current indications are that it will stay very cold through the remainder of the week and for next weekend too.