Snow is expected to arrive this weekend as Ireland's winter weather firmly gets underway.
Friday will be windy and cold with some showers possibly turning to sleet in the evening.
Expect fresh to strong northerly winds with gale-force gusts likely near some coasts and over high ground, with highest temperatures ranging from 7C to 9C “with an added wind chill factor.”
Some showers of sleet or snow are likely overnight in the north and west with the lowest temperatures of 0C to +4C.
On Saturday, further scattered showers are expected with sunny intervals - some sleet or snow showers possible over high ground in the north.
Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather took to Twitter to say: “Latest weather charts from ECMWF model continue to show a risk of strong gusts Friday and Saturday with Northern areas at risk of damaging gusts.”
Sunday will be mostly dry to begin, with rain developing in the west later in the day and spreading eastwards, according to the Irish forecaster.
As for the days leading up to the weekend, Wednesday will see “rain extending south and east to remaining areas during the morning, turning heavy at times across west Munster, and clearing from the northwest with showers and sunny spells following for the rest of the day.”
Showers will be heaviest and most frequent in the northwest, with isolated hail showers possible.
Thursday will be cold with scattered showers, but there will be good sunshine at first, but it will become cloudier through the day from the northwest.
Then on Thursday night, ahead of the first snow of the winter months, it will become windy overnight with fresh to strong westerly winds developing.
There will be plenty of clouds with a few showers at first, but rain will slowly extend from the northwest to all areas overnight.
Lowest temperatures will range from -1C to +3C, with milder conditions spreading from the west overnight.
