It’s the start of a New Year – and it’s bringing a dramatic change in our weather after what was one of the mildest Christmas periods in living memory, with daytime temps regularly reaching 12-13C.
Today’s high in Cork City will be 8C while tomorrow it will plunge further to just 5C. Overnight, some parts of Munster will go below freezing tonight while parts of north Cork will see temps go as low as -3C. Expect frosty starts to the coming mornings and while today should bring brighter weather to most parts of Munster, as we move into the weekend, with what the forecasters are saying is an ‘uncertain’ picture, we could see wintry showers of sleet and even snow.
It will stay cold, much colder than we have been used to in the past couple of weeks, with Sunday expected to bring heavy showers to many parts.
The full forecast for Munster this morning looks like:
TODAY – Wednesday 1st January
Becoming dry, bright and fresh this morning with sunny spells and scattered showers developing. Highest temperatures of 6 to 8 degrees in light to moderate west to northwest winds.
TONIGHT
Tonight will be cold and mostly dry with clear spells and well scattered showers. Lowest temperatures of -1 to +1 degrees in a light northerly breeze, with widespread frost and some ice developing.
TOMORROW – Thursday 2nd January
Cold, dry and sunny tomorrow. Daytime temperatures of just 2 to 4 degrees in a light northerly breeze.
National Outlook
Overview: Remaining cold with generally dry and bright conditions at first. Possibly turning more unsettled at the weekend with the chance of rain, sleet and snow.
Thursday night: A cold, dry and clear night, though scattered showers will move into Ulster towards morning, possibly turning to sleet on higher ground. Widespread frost and some ice developing with lowest temperatures of -3 to +1 degrees in light to moderate northwesterly winds.
Friday: Frost and ice will gradually clear in the morning, leaving a dry and sunny day with just a few showers in the north and west. Highest temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees in a light westerly breeze.
Friday night: Staying cold and mainly dry with clear spells. Scattered showers will continue near west and north coasts. Lowest temperatures of -3 to +1 degrees, with widespread frost and some ice forming once again. Mist and fog patches will develop also in a light southwesterly breeze.
The weekend: There is a good deal of uncertainty in the forecast for the weekend. Current indications suggest that it will stay cold with an area of low pressure steering rain across the country later Saturday. This rain may turn to sleet or snow in places, with further outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow possible through Saturday night and Sunday, alongside strong winds. However, it is possible that this system will remain to the south of us, allowing a continuation of the drier, clearer conditions.
Early next week: Cold conditions are likely to continue into next week with further wintry showers possible