Deirdre O Meara 
Temperatures could plunge to as low as -5C in some parts of Ireland overnight, with a Status Yellow Ice Warning in place from 6pm tonight until 10am tomorrow (Tuesday morning). This means that motorists should exercise extreme caution on the roads, with both Cork Councils expected to deploy gritters.
Tomorrow morning, treacherous conditions are expected on the roads, and temperatures are predicted to remain very cold in the coming days, with some parts of Cork, particularly in the north, experiencing a daytime high as low as 3C. Despite this, tomorrow will be bright and clear with little wind.
The headline news is that sleet and snow are expected to cross Cork and Munster from the southwest in the early hours of tomorrow morning. Met Eireann reports that overnight and into early tomorrow, the weather will be “mostly dry and clear over the northern half of the country, with wintry falls of rain, sleet, or snow in parts of the south.”
On Thursday, temperatures are predicted to rise by as much as 8C in Cork City during the day, and milder conditions are expected to continue into the weekend as the current stable, high-pressure system eases.
Here’s the full forecast from Met Eireann:
Munster:
Today – Monday 6th March:
Expect hazy sunny spells with well-scattered showers in the morning, followed by outbreaks of rain in the afternoon. Highs of 6 to 9 degrees are predicted, with light to moderate northwesterly breezes.
Tonight:
As the last of the rain clears southern areas early tonight, long clear spells will develop. It will be very cold, with lowest temperatures of 0 and -4 degrees, leading to widespread sharp frost and possible icy stretches.
Tomorrow – Tuesday 7th March:
Tomorrow will be very cold but with plenty of sunshine. The highest temperatures will range from just 3 to 6 degrees, with light to moderate northerly breezes.
National Outlook:
Outlook: Overnight temperatures will remain very cold throughout the week, with frost, ice, and possible wintry falls. There is some uncertainty from midweek onwards.
Tuesday Night:
Expect another icy cold night with a widespread sharp or severe frost, as temperatures fall to between -5 and 0 degrees. The weather will be mostly dry and clear over the northern half of the country, with wintry falls of rain, sleet, or snow in parts of the south.
Wednesday:
Expect a very cold and frosty start with icy stretches, but also plenty of dry, bright sunshine. Many areas will remain dry for the day in moderate east to southeast winds, although outbreaks of rain or sleet may continue over the southern half of the country. The highest temperatures will range from just 3 to 6 degrees.
Wednesday Night:
Widespread wintry outbreaks may continue to feed up from the southwest throughout the night. It will be very cold in parts, with lowest temperatures of -4 to +0 degrees and light to moderate northeasterly breezes.
Thursday:
Expect further wintry outbreaks throughout Thursday, with any snow turning to a mix of sleet and rain as the day progresses. It will be a chilly day, with the highest temperatures of 3 or 4 degrees and milder conditions along southern fringes. Mostly moderate easterly breezes are predicted. Expect cold conditions again overnight, with lows of -2 to +2 degrees.
Friday:
There is considerable uncertainty about Friday, although current indications suggest an outbreak of rain over the southern half of the country, possibly turning to sleet or snow over the northern half.
In summary, Munster is set to experience a wintry spell, with sleet and snow expected in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Motorists should take extreme caution on the roads, as icy conditions are expected.
Temperatures will remain very cold throughout the week, with frost, ice, and possible wintry falls. However, milder conditions are predicted to return later in the week. Keep an eye on the weather updates and take necessary precautions to stay safe and warm during this wintry spell.
