Springtime snow is on the way as temperatures get set to plummet to freezing tonight.
Irish people have been warned to be ready for a 12C drop from to last week, which saw blue skies and sizzling sunshine.
The bizarre change in fortunes will see snow, hail, sleet and isolated thunderstorms along with a drop in temperature down to a teeth chattering 0C.
The sudden fall in the mercury is due to a large cold weather front over Ireland and northern Europe, coming from the North Atlantic.
A Met Eireann forecaster said: “Friday will be a cold and windy day with blustery showers, mainly in western areas at first, but becoming widespread in the afternoon. Some of the showers will be heavy with hail and sleet, and a risk of isolated thunderstorms.
“Feeling noticeably colder with highest temperatures of just 5 to 8 degrees with an added wind chill factor in fresh to strong and gusty westerly winds, reaching gale at times in some western coastal fringes.
“On Friday night widespread showers will continue for a time early on Friday night, some of them wintry, with hail, sleet and snow, and an ongoing risk of isolated thunderstorms.
“The showers will gradually become confined Atlantic coastal counties overnight.
“Westerly winds will be fresh to strong and gusty at first but they will ease down through the night. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 3 degrees, with a risk of frost in sheltered spots.”
And the weekend will see further rain spreading across the country, with occasional sunny spells breaking through at times.
There will be little respite on Monday as near gale force winds hit affect coastal areas, while “cyclonic” breezes will hit northern counties.
A forecaster added: “Saturday will start out mostly dry, with sunny spells in the east and north. Outbreaks of rain and drizzle developing in western coastal counties during the morning, however, will spread elsewhere through the afternoon and evening.
“The rain will turn persistent and heavy in parts of the west towards evening, accompanied by increasingly strong and gusty south to southwest winds. Highest temperatures of 8 to 10 degrees.
“Wet and very windy for a time on Saturday night, with gales near coasts.
“Rain will give way to showers from the west overnight and winds will become southwesterly and moderate somewhat. Lowest temperatures overnight will range 4 to 7 degrees, coldest over Ulster and north Connacht.
“Sunday will be a breezy day with some bright or sunny spells early on, but becoming mostly cloudy with scattered outbreaks of rain and drizzle.
“Highest temperatures will range 10 to 12 degrees, with moderate to fresh and gusty southwest winds, strong near west and northwest coasts.
“Cloudy with outbreaks of rain on Sunday night, heaviest in the west and northwest. Moderate to fresh and gusty southerly winds, strong to near gale on coasts will veer southwest overnight. Lowest overnight temperatures are expected to be between 7 and 10 degrees Celsius.
“Mostly cloudy and mild with outbreaks of rain and drizzle, heaviest and most persistent in the north and northwest. Winds will be mostly moderate to fresh southwesterly, strong to near gale on coasts, but light cyclonic variable breezes will affect parts of Ulster and north Connacht. Highest temperatures will range 12 to 16 degrees.”
“Current indications suggest a transition towards cooler and drier conditions will take place by around mid-week next week.”
