Snow joke: What a difference a week makes...

After the extremes of a summer and winter in just 10 days, the Easter weekend looks set to return to the decidedly average conditions that characterise an Irish spring.

Met Éireann forecaster Vincent O’Shea reports the immediate outlook is for pleasant weather, without reaching the balmy heights of last week.

“Between now and Monday, in a word, it will be pleasant. It’s certainly not all good news but it’s not going to be bad by any means,” he said.

The Met Éireann forecaster said today looks like being bright everywhere and will feel warmer than the past few days due to lighter winds. The weekend also looks promising, although it may not have as much sunshine as earlier in the week.

“It may be a bit early to say but, out of the whole weekend, Easter Monday does look like being the worst, as we should get some rain and it looks like it could turn quite breezy,” said Mr O’Shea.

Meanwhile, motorists have been warned to take extra care after gale force winds battered the country. Rain, sleet and snow also fell around the country yesterday, leaving slippery road conditions in parts of Leinster, including Carlow, Tullow, Naas, Wexford and New Ross.

AA Roadwatch called on drivers to avoid the Sally Gap and the Wicklow Gap. Snow also fell in the Woodenbridge and Baltinglass areas.

“Motorists are advised to slow down, drive with extra care and remember that stopping distances are 10 times longer in snow and ice,” it warned.

Irish Ferries also cancelled its Swift sailings between Dublin and Holyhead this morning due to the weather.

Met Éireann has said temperatures are due to fall to between 2C and -2C overnight, when widespread frost is expected.