Snow and ice likely as forecasters warn of cold snap

By Kim O'Leary

Today Met Eireann has announced that Ireland will experience a "polar low" this week with ice and snow predicted to sweep across the country.

The cold snap conditions are due to an area of low pressure approaching the country starting from tomorrow.

Although today is unusually mild for this time of year, temperatures are set to drop by up to six degrees tomorrow.

Met Eireann has said that the area of low pressure known as a "polar low" will first pass over the north of the country.

In their outlook earlier this morning Met Eireann said: "Wednesday night will turn cold everywhere as temperatures fall to near freezing in the early part of the night, lowest overnight temperatures zero to three degrees, coldest in the north."

They said: "The winds will become cyclonic variable in the north as an area of low pressure, called "polar low", tracks over the country."

Temperatures during the afternoon will range from just 4 degrees in the north to 7 or 8 degrees in the south.

On Thursday night temperatures will range between minus 2 and plus 3 degrees with ice forming on untreated surfaces.

"There’ll be showers or longer spells of rain, turning wintry with snow likely on the Wicklow Mountains," Met Éireann’s latest forecast states.

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Dull and damp today with outbreaks of rain turning persistent in the south of the province and heavy for a time later. Afternoon temperatures will be between 13 and 15 degrees and winds will be moderate to fresh south to southwest. The rain will clear through in the second half of the afternoon.

Tonight it will be cloudy with scattered showers, a mild night ahead with temperatures ranging from 6 to 9 degrees.

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