The unseasonably warm weather Ireland has experienced this month appears to have come to an end with Met Éireann predicting daytime temperatures ranging from six to 11 degrees in the coming days.
This week has seen a drop in temperatures after a mild start to the month.
Met Éireann forecaster Paul Downes said it will remain “changeable and cool over the weekend and beyond with wet and windy weather at times”.
On Friday, most areas will be bright, breezy and dry with good sunny spells, he said. However, outbreaks of rain will continue on northeastern fringes, while scattered heavy showers in the southwest will continue through the day.
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Highest temperatures of eight to 10 degrees in moderate-to-fresh westerly winds.
The Met Office in the UK has indicated the Scottish highlands, northern England and the midlands are at risk of snow in the coming days. However, there is no sign of snow in the long-range forecast for this month in Ireland.
Friday night will start cold, dry and clear with just a few mist patches. Some frost will develop inland as temperatures fall to between minus one and three degrees, in light variable breezes, though cloud will build in the west towards morning and temperatures there will rise also.
Met Éireann forecasts that Saturday will start dry and bright in the east, with outbreaks of rain spreading from the Atlantic through the morning, extending to all parts by evening and turning heavy at times. It will be blustery too with fresh to strong and gusty southerly winds. Highest temperatures are forecast to be six to 11 degrees, mildest along southern and western coasts.
A clearance to scattered showers will extend from the west during by evening while winds will be moderate. The weather will be “changeable and cool” with wet and windy conditions at times.
Sunday is predicted to be a bright and breezy day with scattered shower and highest temperatures of six to 10 degrees in a moderate to fresh westerly wind.
On Sunday night a touch of frost is possible in Ulster as lows dip to between one and four degrees, but it will be milder in the southwest where rain will extend from the Atlantic early in the night, Met Éireann said.
A wet start is forecast for Monday morning, with sunny spells and scattered showers to follow, and these may merge to longer spells of rain at times. Highest temperatures on Monday will be in the region of six to 10 degrees.
The further outlook for next week is that it will stay cool and unsettled with further spells of wet and windy weather possible.