Ireland cold weather end date confirmed as Met Eireann forecast major 18C temperature swing

Ireland's ongoing cold snap continues, with temperatures plummeting as low as -8C overnight. Icy conditions and snow have swept the country, causing widespread travel disruptions and safety concerns.

Met Eireann has issued a spate of warnings with more in place for the coming hours. A Status Orange alert for low temperatures and ice covers the entire country, except Donegal, until 11am.

A separate nationwide Status Yellow alert for the same hazards is in place until noon on Friday. The national forecaster has warned it will be "extremely cold with widespread severe frost, ice and lying snow".

The bone-chilling weather is expected to persist until Friday, with temperatures dropping to -7C again tonight, and struggling to rise above freezing tomorrow.

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However, a dramatic change is on the horizon. The unrelenting freeze will begin to shift towards milder conditions this weekend, with temperatures set to rise by a remarkable 18C in just a few days.

What has been an icy, snow-filled week will soon transition into milder weather, with temperatures expected to climb from a bitter -7C on today to a much more temperate 11C by Sunday.

For now though, the deep freeze will continue, with Met Eireann warning that the situation may worsen before weekend relief arrives.

It has provided a detailed forecast of what to expect in the coming days, as the cold snap persists before the dramatic weather change.

It said: "Very cold Thursday morning with widespread frost and ice lingering. Sunny spells will develop later with just a scattering of cloud in a cold northerly breeze. A few isolated wintry showers will drift in over Connacht and Ulster for a time but elsewhere should hold dry. Highs really struggling at just 0C to 4C. Very cold and dry Thursday night with frost setting in early. Cloud will push in from the south later with outbreaks of rain across Munster and winds staying light. Bitterly cold with lowest temperature of -7C to -2C with the lowest temperatures occurring early in the night. Frost, ice and black ice patches expected.

"Cloudy with rain spreading from the southwest early Friday morning. Turning to sleet and snow along high ground across Munster and Connacht. Staying largely dry across Leinster and Ulster with highest temperatures of 1C to 5C. Quite an overcast night Friday with outbreaks of rain and drizzle. Perhaps not as cold as pervious nights either with lowest temperatures of 0C to 4C with light winds.

"Staying rather cloudy Saturday with outbreaks of rain and drizzle gradually clearing away to the north. Some isolated bright or sunny spells will develop and it should stay dry through the afternoon. Light southerly breezes and highs of 4C to 8C. A cloudy night overall Saturday but mostly dry too. Some patchy drizzle about western coasts but it will be a milder night than previously too. Lowest temperatures of 2C to 6C with light southerly breezes. Some mist and fog patches will form overnight, quite dense in the southwest for a time."Another rather overcast day Sunday with freshening southerly breeze. Rain will gradually develop along western counties during the afternoon but it should hold dry across much of the country through to the evening. Highest temperatures of 8C to 11C."Next week, current indications are for high pressure to develop to the southeast of the country but a few frontal systems will clip western and northern counties too. Overall rather mixed with cloud and drizzle along Atlantic coastal fringes but drier and perhaps sunnier in the southeast."

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