A weather expert has shared warning signs that show the potential upcoming Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) event could be a 'major' one.
It was a major SSW that brought the ‘Beast from the East’ to Ireland five years ago, causing the country to come to a standstill with widespread heavy snow.
Independent Irish forecaster Alan O’Reilly, who is monitoring the possibility of an SSW event, said there are early signs such as a "warming up in the Stratosphere" and the direction of the winds that mean the SSW event could also be a "major" one.
READ MORE: Ireland snow: Exact date brutal Arctic blast could freeze country after warmest day of the year
Sharing weather models on his popular Carlow Weather social media accounts, he wrote: "Things are warming up in the Stratosphere and winds are expected to reverse soon which will make this a major sudden stratospheric warming event.
"However once again remember this doesn’t mean we will see a beast from the East. It does increase risk of cooler weather in ~2 weeks."
The latest weather forecasts show that a Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) event is now ‘likely’ to take place at the end of February or the start of March.
However, forecasters have cautioned that its exact impacts are very uncertain this far out.
An SSW event can lead to cold, dry weather coming into the north of Europe and across Ireland, however forecasters have cautioned that this is not always the case.
In 2018, it was the occurrence of an SSW event that drove the Arctic deluge that left Ireland covered in heavy snow - however the following year, there was another SSW event that had little impact on Ireland’s weather.
Meanwhile there is still no sign of a brutal Arctic freeze, similar to the ‘Beast from the East’, in Met Eireann's latest forecast.
Double digit temperatures are forecast for the remainder of the week; with some stormy, wet and windy weather possible tonight and Friday.
It will also be a wet start to the day on Saturday, which will clear into a mostly dry and cloudy day. However, high pressure is expected to build on Sunday which will bring dry weather and sunny spells.
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