Snow on the way as entire country hit with Met Éireann weather warning for cold snap

The whole of Ireland has been placed under a Status Yellow Low Temperature Ice warning for the next two days as temperatures are set to plunge and sharp frost, icy conditions and possible snow is expected.

Following weeks of torrential rain and flooding in parts ,Met Éireann issued the ice warning on Thursday and it is due to come into effect at 9pm on Friday night and will remain in place until 10am on Saturday.

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According to experts, an Arctic airmass will cause temperatures to drop to -4 in some parts, bringing with it hazardous travel conditions on road and underfoot and travel disruption

Carlow Weatherman Alan O'Reilly has said some parts of the country are already seeing sleet and snow as the "cold air starts to move down".

Radar showing few spots of sleet and snow in North this morning as that cold air starts to move down. pic.twitter.com/tg1eEqgIoV

— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) February 12, 2026

However, this cold snap will be short-lived as Met Éireann's forecast for the next seven days show more heavy rain moving in from Saturday afternoon and into Sunday as temperatures will begin to rise.

Thursday

Today will bring a good lot of cloud and showers or longer spells of rain, some of that heavy, which will bring some spot flooding. The rain will be most persistent across the northern half of the country, with the best of any drier brighter spells further south.

It'll gradually become breezy with winds increasing moderate to fresh and variable in direction, becoming mostly east to northeasterly across the northern half of the country, westerly though further south. Colder conditions will extend from the north to most places through the day, with early afternoon temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees over the northern half of the country and 6 to 9 or 10 degrees further south.

Mostly cloudy, wet and breezy for a time tonight with further outbreaks of rain or showers, some of that heavy, with a continued chance of spot flooding. However a clearance will push into Ulster, Connacht and north Leinster overnight with the moderate to fresh northeasterly winds easing in these areas too. It'll be cold with frost and some icy conditions, particularly under the clearer skies in the north and west, with lowest temperatures of -1 to +4 degrees.

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Friday 

Cold with some frost and ice in places tomorrow morning, especially in the west and north. Cloud and rain in parts of Munster and south Leinster will clear through the morning with mostly dry and sunny conditions following. There'll just be a few isolated showers in the north and west. Highest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees with mainly light to moderate northerly winds, fresh for a time in the south and east, but gradually easing light to moderate.

Friday night will be mainly dry, very cold, frosty with some icy patches. There's just the chance of a few isolated showers in northern and northwestern coastal parts early on. While it'll be mostly clear for a time, some higher cloud will start to build in from the Atlantic overnight. Lowest temperatures of -4 to +1 degrees in mostly light variable breezes.

Saturday

A frosty start with some icy patches. Dry for a time, with some spells of sunshine, the best of these further east. It'll become increasingly cloudy from the west through the day, with rain spreading northeastwards through the afternoon and evening, turning heavy in parts, with the chance of some sleet later in the day, especially over higher ground. It should stay mainly dry though for much of the daylight hours in east Leinster and much of Ulster. A cold day with highest temperatures of just 3 to 7 degrees generally, though a little less cold in the southwest and west. Winds will be mostly light southerly to begin, but will gradually increase fresh to strong and gusty south to southeasterly.

Wet and rather windy for a time Saturday night, with spells of heavy rain and with some sleet and possibly a little snow for a time over higher ground in the north and east. A clearance will follow from the west overnight, but scattered showers will follow too. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees with the fresh to strong and occasionally gusty southeasterly winds veering westerly with the clearance and moderating.

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Sunday

Sunday will be a bright day with sunshine and scattered showers, these most widespread in the west and north, some heavy and with a chance of hail and maybe the odd isolated thunderstorm in coastal parts. Highest temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees and it'll be breezy enough with moderate to fresh and gusty westerly winds.

It'll become breezy or windy on Sunday night, especially further to the west and northwest, and there'll be a mix of clear spells and scattered showers, some heavy and of hail. There's a chance too of a little sleet over higher ground. A spell of more persistent rain is possible in parts of the north and northwest, where there's the greatest chance of a few thunderstorms too. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees with west to southwest winds increasing moderate to fresh and occasionally gusty, stronger in coastal parts of the west and southwest.

Monday

It looks like Monday will be breezy or rather windy with sunshine and showers. The showers will be most widespread in the west and north, some heavy, with the chance of hail and isolated thunderstorms. A longer spell of rain is possible too for a time, in the north and northwest. There's the possibility also of a little sleet for a time over higher ground, mainly in the north. The best of the drier weather with sunny spells will be in the east and south and it'll gradually become a little drier later. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees in fresh to strong and gusty west to northwest winds, easing later.

Apart from a few isolated coastal showers in the north and west, it'll be dry for a time on Monday night with clear spells and it'll be cold with frost and some icy patches. Later in the night, cloud will increase from the west, with rain moving into the southwest. Lowest temperatures of -3 to +3 degrees, coldest in the east and north. Winds will be mostly light and variable, becoming light to moderate southeasterly overnight.

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Tuesday

A cold and frosty start for many, with some sunshine. Cloud will increase from the southwest through the day, with rain gradually moving further northeastwards, some of that heavy. There's the chance of a little sleet and snow too, especially over higher ground. The rain may not reach some northern parts though. Highest temperatures of 3 to 8 degrees, north to south, in freshening east to southeast winds

Wednesday

There'll likely be further outbreaks of rain for a time on Wednesday, with the continued chance of wintry precipitation. However, a clearance is likely to extend from the northwest through the day. Highest temperatures of 3 to 8 degrees, north to south, with moderate to fresh east to northeast winds.

Further outlook

Continuing rather cold with some frosty nights and the weather will be mixed with some drier brighter weather but with showers or longer spells of rain at times too.