Temperatures are set to take a nosedive across Ireland tonight as the recent warm spell comes to an abrupt end.
Weather chiefs are forecasting bitterly cold nighttime conditions for the rest of the week, beginning Wednesday as temperatures fall as low as -1C.
The national forecaster is also predicting a mix of hail showers and thunderstorms with the May Bank Holiday not predicted to be a pleasant one.
A Met Eireann forecaster said: "A dry and sunny start in many areas this morning, cloudier however in eastern and southern areas with isolated showers. It will be mainly dry today with sunny spells. Some cloud will build during the day with well-scattered showers. Feeling cool in moderate to fresh and gusty northeasterly winds and highest temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees.
"Wednesday night will have a scattering of showers mixed with long clear spells. Temperatures falling back to between -1 to +3 degrees generally, coldest in the midlands, with a grass frost forming. Northerly winds will be light or near calm.
"Thursday will be cool with widespread showers. Cloud will quickly build during the morning as showers develop, mixed with bright spells. Showers will likely be heavy and slow-moving in some areas during the afternoon, with a risk of hail and thundery downpours. Highest temperatures of 8 to 12 degrees, coolest in Ulster, in light northerly or variable breezes.
"Showers will ease in the early parts of the night becoming lighter and more isolated with prolonged clear spells forming. Lowest temperatures generally of -1 to +3 degrees with a grass frost forming in places in light northerly breezes.
"Largely dry and sunny to begin on Friday. Showers will break out during the day, some heavy in the afternoon, mixed with brighter intervals. Showers may be slow-moving with a risk of hail and thundery downpours. Highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees in just light northerly winds or near calm conditions.
"Lingering showers will die out on Friday night. It will become dry and mostly clear, where some mist or fog patches may form. Another cold night with lowest temperatures generally between -1 to +3 degrees and a grass frost developing again in light winds."
Cool, showery and breezy is how the forecaster described the Bank Holiday weekend as a whole with conditions not ideal for outdoor activities.
And temperatures are likely to remain below average into next week.
