Temperatures to plunge to -3C as cold snap grips Ireland

Frank Dargan and Agnieszka Bednarek walking dogs Rolo and Kiri on a frosty morning at Farran (Wood) Forest Park, Co. Cork. Picture: Denis Minihane.

A sharp drop in temperatures is set to bring a wintry feel across the country from Thursday, with forecasters warning of freezing nights and widespread frost.

After relatively mild conditions, it will turn dramatically colder as northerly winds take hold, dragging temperatures down significantly. Night-time lows are expected to fall to -3C from Thursday night into Friday morning, marking the beginning of a brief but intense cold snap.