Snow possible in the next few days as experts warn of bitter cold snap on the way

Ireland has been battered by torrential and constant rain the past few weeks and now weather experts have warned a cold snap is on the way which could bring snow frost and ice.

Met Éireann has said we can expect generally dull and damp conditions for the next few days while a switch to a northerly airflow will lead to a brief cold snap with drier and brighter conditions towards the end of the week, before turning unsettled again over the weekend.

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Carlow Weatherman Alan O'Reilly has said cooler and dryer weather is expected for Friday and early Saturday but "rain looks likely to arrive earlier Saturday evening now and could fall as snow in some areas before quickly turning to rain."

Some fog developing tonight before more rain moves up from the South for Tuesday. Cooler and dryer weather for Friday and early Saturday but rain looks likely to arrive earlier Saturday evening now and could fall as snow in some areas before quickly turning to rain. pic.twitter.com/eJ5mtGuye8

— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) February 9, 2026

Today

A dull day with rain and drizzle moving northeastwards across the country through the morning and afternoon, along with some mist and fog patches too. Drier conditions will follow from the southwest for a time, ahead of scattered showers or further spells of rain. Highest temperatures of 6 to 12 degrees, mildest in the southwest, with light to moderate variable winds.

Mostly cloudy tonight with scattered showers or more persistent spells of rain and drizzle, along with some mist and fog patches too. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 9 degrees, coolest in Ulster, with light variable winds becoming moderate southwesterly through the night.

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Wednesday

Another generally dull day. More persistent outbreaks of rain and drizzle will become mostly confined to Ulster through the morning. Elsewhere will see scattered showers with some limited bright spells developing. Highest temperatures of 5 to 11 degrees, coolest in Ulster, with light to moderate southwesterly winds becoming light and variable through the day.

Mostly cloudy on Wednesday night, with just very limited clear spells, and with scattered showers or more persistent outbreaks of rain and drizzle. Some mist and fog patches too. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 7 degrees, coldest in Ulster, with a light to moderate westerly or variable breeze, fresher in the southwest.

Thursday

A generally dull and damp day, it will be mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain and drizzle. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees over the southern half of the country, but just 3 to 6 degrees over the northern half. Moderate northerly winds will develop through the day.

Thursday night will starting off cloudy with outbreaks of rain and drizzle, a clearance will develop from the north. Turning cold with frost and ice developing as temperatures drop to -3 to +1 degrees generally, but possibly remaining milder further south depending on the timing of the clearance. Winds will be light to moderate and northerly.

Friday

A bright, cold, and mostly dry day. A few showers, some of which could be wintry, will feed in from the north. Highest temperatures of just 3 to 6 degrees, with a light to moderate northerly breeze.

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Saturday

Starting off dry and very cold with frost and ice. However, wet and breezy conditions will spread across the country from the west through the second half of the day, with some wintry falls possible further north. Highest afternoon temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees, with light southerly winds increasing fresh to strong through the day.

Further outlook

Continuing unsettled for the remainder of the weekend and into next week.