A snow and ice warning is in place for parts of the north and west of the country on Thursday.
A yellow warning was issued for counties Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Leitrim and Sligo on Thursday morning and is in place until 7am on Friday. Falls of hail and sleet are likely, with icy stretches and accumulations of snow in some areas.
A similar warning is in place until 10am on Friday for counties Antrim, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry.
Met Éireann warned it will be “much colder” across the country for the rest of the week, with sharp to severe frosts, icy stretches and some wintry showers.
A wind warning will also be in place for counties Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Leitrim and Sligo from 11am on Friday, later moving to Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Clare from 4pm until the early hours of Saturday morning.
Early cold snap in December
Update to meteorologists commentary here : https://t.co/ktXtWjbfIg pic.twitter.com/6yUvnnJj1rAdvertisement— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) December 2, 2020
Thursday is due to be a chilly day for much of the country. After a cloudy and damp start for most with early rain and drizzle, it will gradually become brighter from the northwest.
By the afternoon, most areas will see bright spells but with a few wintry showers lingering in the far west and north. Highest temperatures will be between three to six degrees.
Thursday night will be dry and cold for most with a frost. Ulster and Leinster will be dry, while the west coast of Munster and Connacht will have a risk of showers at times throughout the night.
There will be clear periods for most areas with gentle north-westerly breeze. Lowest temperatures will be between zero and minus three degrees.
A dry start for most of the country on Friday, while just the west coast of Munster and Connacht will have light showers. The afternoon will see rain for Ulster and Leinster, with Munster and Connacht remaining dry and bright. Freshening north or northwest winds will reach gale force near coasts and at sea.
Friday evening will be damp for many, with a fresh north-westerly breeze. Highest temperatures will be between four to seven degrees.
