Ireland weather: Big freeze to return as temperatures set to plummet next week before major U-turn

After a surprisingly mild weekend, Met Eireann has warned that freezing temperatures are set to return next week.

Storm Bert battered the country on Saturday with severe gusts and heavy showers, causing millions of euro worth of damage from flooding.

According to Met Eireann, windy and showery conditions are set to continue through Sunday and Monday as the last remnants of Storm Bert finally clear, before another cold snap sets in, with temperatures set to plummet to -3C over the coming days.

READ MORE: Clean-up begins after Storm Bert batters country, causing widespread damage

READ MORE: Varadkar still given Garda protection - seven months after quitting as Taoiseach

The latest forecast from Met Eireann states that it will be another very windy day today due to Storm Bert. We can expect a mix of sunny spells and occasional heavy showers, mainly across the western half of the country. The showers will become more frequent in the west later this afternoon. Strong to near gale and gusty southwesterly winds, windiest in the west and northwest, with gales or strong gales near coasts. It will be another mild day with highs of 9C to 12C.

It will remain windy at first tonight but the winds will slowly ease from the south overnight. Strong winds will persist across west Ulster all night, however. There'll be a mix of clear spells and scattered showers, with the showers heaviest and most frequent in the west, with lowest temperatures of 3C to 7 degrees. Fresh to strong and gusty southwest to west winds with gales near western and northern coasts, will ease in the south overnight.

Sunny spells and scattered blustery showers are forecast for Monday, with a chance of hail and isolated thunderstorms. The showers will be most frequent across western parts of the country. Moderate to fresh and gusty southwest to west winds, will ease mainly light to moderate in the afternoon, with afternoon highs of 7C to 10C.

Showers will become increasingly confined to western and northern coastal counties on Monday night with long clear spells developing elsewhere. Frost and some icy patches will develop as temperatures fall to between -2C to 2C in light to moderate southwest or variable breezes. Patches of mist and fog will also develop.

It is forecast to be dry and sunny for most on Tuesday. However, a few showers will continue to affect northern and Atlantic coasts. Cloud will build near the south coast in the afternoon with a chance of some light rain and drizzle developing towards evening, with highest temperatures of 6C to 8C degrees in light variable breezes.

Apart from a few coastal showers in the west and northwest and the possibility of patchy rain and drizzle in the southeast, most other places will be dry with frost and fog developing in many areas on Tuesday night. Another cold night is in store however, with temperatures of -3C to 2C in light northerly or variable breezes.

Met Eireann has said that areas of mist and fog could be slow to clear through Wednesday morning and may linger all day in a few spots. Otherwise it will be a largely dry day with good spells of sunshine and with just isolated showers near eastern and northern coasts. It is expected to be chilly however, with afternoon highs of 3C to 7C in light northerly or variable breezes. Mist and fog patches will set in through the evening and early night.

Wednesday night will be another dry and cold night with frost and icy patches developing. Met Eireann has said we can expect lowest temperatures of -3C to 1C with light winds becoming easterly and freshening in the southwest towards morning.

According to Met Eireann's forecast, frost and any mist and fog patches will soon clear on Thursday morning to leave a mainly dry and bright morning, apart from patchy drizzle in the southwest. Cloud will gradually thicken from the southwest through the day and it will become breezy, with outbreaks of rain and drizzle developing in the southwest and south. Highest afternoon temperatures of 5C to 10C are on the cards with moderate to fresh southeasterly winds developing.

Met Eireann say that current indications suggest that our weather will turn a bit milder but more unsettled for Friday and next weekend with rain and showers at times, while it will be breezy at times too.

Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.