WEATHER: Snow and freezing temperatures next week

From Sunday, the temperatures are due to drop significantly, with freezing conditions and snow forecast mid-week.

Temperatures will plummet to -5 to -8 degrees at night time, reaching 3 to 4 degrees during the day, at best.

While the temperatures will remain particularly cold, a low pressure system moving in from the Atlantic, will generate wintery showers in the east and northern parts of the midlands.

That’s according to Cathal Nolan of Midlands Weather Channel.

“A large anticyclone is expected to become established in the North Atlantic, cutting off the usual mild, wet south westerlies which had been established across the country since October,” said Mr Nolan.

“The bitterly cold Arctic air is expected to sink southwards across the country from Sunday onwards, with the worst of the conditions not fully expected to set in until the middle of next week.”

Where snow falls in hilly rural areas, temperatures could plunge as low as -10 or even -11, and fail to reach above normal during the day.

While Cathal admits conditions such as these can last up to a number of weeks, the best he can forecast for now is that the cold spell will last the duration of next week.

“This ‘dry’ spell will with the flooding situation across the country.”