Met Éireann warns of temperatures dropping to -3C as cold snap tightens grip

A status yellow low-temperature and ice warning will be in place for 10 counties from 11pm tonight. Picture: PA

Met Éireann says temperatures could fall as low as -3C on Thursday night into Friday morning as the recent cold snap continues.

A status yellow low-temperature and ice warning will be in place for 10 counties from 11pm tonight, with “widespread frost and some icy stretches” likely, as well as minimum air temperatures of -3C, hazardous travel conditions and animal welfare issues.

The warning will expire at 8am on Friday.

A yellow snow and ice warning for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry remains active until midday today.

For the weekend outlook, the forecaster says Thursday will be a cold day overall, with sunny spells and scattered showers. Most showers will be in the north and west and some will turn wintry. 

Daytime temperatures this afternoon will range from 3C to 7C in a light to moderate northwesterly breeze.

Tonight will be a largely dry and clear night, but it will turn very cold as temperatures fall 2C to 3C below freezing, leading to frost and icy stretches.

Friday is predicted to start mostly dry but will become quite cloudy later in the morning, with outbreaks of rain developing along Atlantic coastal counties in a freshening southwesterly breeze. Highest temperatures will range from 5C to 9C.

Friday night will see rain and drizzle along Atlantic coastal counties gradually spreading through the country overnight, with rain turning heavy at times, particularly in the west. Lowest temperatures will range from 1C to 4C.

Weekend forecast

Saturday will start wet, cloudy and unsettled, with rain slowly clearing eastwards as the morning progresses. Met Éireann says a spell of dry weather will develop in the afternoon, though it will remain overcast. 

Showers, which could be heavy at times, will push into Munster and south Leinster during the late afternoon before moving further north.

Daytime temperatures on Saturday will range from 6C to 10C.

Saturday night looks to be another wet and overcast night with showers moving up along the east of the country, which again could be heavy at times. Lowest temperatures will range from 3C to 6C.

On Sunday, rain will gradually clear during the morning, but it will remain rather cloudy. Northwesterly breezes will ease, with some sunnier spells developing mainly across the south during the afternoon.

Highest temperatures on Sunday will range from 7C to 10C.

Met Éireann says Sunday night will be generally dry and cloudy, though there may be a few lingering patches of rain over Connacht and Ulster. 

More cloud will build later in the night ahead of another band of rain moving in from the south. 

Winds will ease gradually, and as temperatures slip back to 0C to 4C, more frost and icy stretches are possible.