Deirdre O Meara 
Met Éireann, the Irish meteorological service, warns of ‘wintry falls’ of snow or sleet over high ground in Munster today. Beautiful Gougane Barra in north West Cork was one of the spots to see snowfall this morning, with the possibility of more to come.
The forecast for the upcoming week calls for mostly dry but cold weather with frosty conditions as February comes to a close. Parts of Cork, particularly those inland from the coast, will have icy starts in the morning. While sunny spells are expected throughout the day, temperatures will remain chilly up to the middle of next week.
Overnight, temperatures have fallen sharply, and parts of north and north-east Cork experienced heavy frost and ice this morning. Daytime highs will struggle to reach double digits and hover between 7-9°C during midday and early afternoon.
This means cold starts for most people, and heating will be required until true spring conditions arrive. While Met Éireann expects relatively settled weather, ‘wintry falls’ can’t be ruled out over higher ground during the coming days.
Today
The full forecast for Munster today, according to Met Éireann, is a cold and breezy day with scattered blustery showers and sunshine.
Some of the showers may be heavy, with hail and isolated thunderstorms possible in the west. While ‘wintry falls’ can’t be ruled out over higher ground, the highest afternoon temperatures are expected to be 6 to 8°C. However, brisk northwesterly winds will make it feel even colder.
Tonight
Tonight, showers will die out early, leaving mostly dry and clear conditions. Cold temperatures will result in frost and possibly icy patches developing, as moderate to fresh northwest winds ease light to moderate towards morning.
Thursday
Tomorrow will be mostly dry, with sunny spells expected, although there may be some hazy conditions at times. Highest temperatures of 7 to 9°C are expected in light to moderate north to northwest winds.
The national outlook is for mostly dry and cool weather, with some frosty nights expected. Cloud will increase from the northwest on Thursday night with some localized outbreaks of light rain and drizzle.
Friday
Friday will be a mostly dry day, with isolated patches of light rain mostly near northern and western coasts. Any mist and fog on Saturday morning will clear, leaving a dry day with a mix of cloud and sunny spells.
Munster is experiencing wintry weather conditions with low to freezing temperatures, frost, and snowfall. Met Éireann is advising the public to take precautions to protect themselves from these conditions.
