Met Éireann warns of 'Arctic airmass' as freezing cold, frost and sleet set to hit Ireland

Ireland is facing a sharp cold snap as Met Éireann warns an Arctic airmass is about to sweep down over the country, bringing freezing temperatures, frost, ice and the risk of sleet and wintry showers.

After another wet and dull midweek, conditions are set to turn bitterly cold from Thursday night into Friday with sub-zero temperatures expected in many areas and icy conditions developing overnight.

Met Éireann says it will turn “colder for the next couple of days with an Arctic airmass feeding down”, signalling a dramatic change from the recent wet spell.

Wednesday will remain unsettled with spells of rain, “heavy in places”, though brighter spells may develop in parts of the south and west. Temperatures will reach 6 to 11 degrees, coldest in the north.

Thursday will be wet and breezy for much of the country, with outbreaks of rain mainly affecting northern counties. However, Met Éireann says it will be “turning colder from the north through the day” as fresh north-easterly winds develop.

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The real cold arrives overnight with Met Éireann warning Thursday night will turn “cold with some frost and ice setting in”, with temperatures dropping to between -3 and 2 degrees.

Friday morning will bring widespread frost and ice, with the national forecaster warning of “perhaps the odd wintry shower”, mainly in eastern and northern areas. Daytime temperatures will struggle with highs of just 3 to 6 degrees.

Friday night is set to be especially harsh with Met Éireann warning of “a very cold, frosty and icy night” and temperatures falling as low as -4 degrees in some parts.

Saturday will start off dry but bitterly cold with widespread frost and ice before conditions deteriorate later. Met Éireann says rain moving in later in the day “may fall as sleet for a time” with “the chance of wintry falls” into Saturday night.

While temperatures are expected to lift again on Sunday, the national forecaster says unsettled weather will continue into next week as an Atlantic regime takes over.