Met Éireann in sleet update amid subzero forecast before major Easter change

Met Éireann has predicted some sleet for Ireland this weekend amid a colder blast of weather ahead of Easter next week. 

The outlook reads: "Unsettled and fairly cool for the week ahead and into Easter weekend, with further spells of rain or showers. Some of the showers and rain will be heavy with some spot flooding expected."

Forecasters said "it'll be fairly windy today [on Saturday] with a mix of sunshine and showers. The showers will be most widespread and heaviest in the morning and early afternoon, some of hail and still a little sleet likely over hills and mountains for a time.

"There'll be a few isolated thunderstorms too," they added, "the showers will become less widespread in many areas through the afternoon, with more in the way of sunny spells, but there'll still be plenty showers in northern parts. Highest temperatures of 6 to 9 or 10 degrees, but feeling colder in fresh to strong and gusty northwest winds, reaching near gale force for a time in some western and northern coastal parts.

"Still breezy for a time tonight with clear spells and further scattered showers [Saturday night], but the showers will tend to die away overnight and the moderate to fresh and gusty northwest winds will ease. Cloud will start to increase into the southwest and west later in the night, with moving into coastal parts of Kerry before morning. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 5 degrees, with some frost likely."

The forecast continues: "Dry in many areas for a time tomorrow, Sunday, with some spells of sunshine in the midlands, north and east. However, cloud will be building in from the west, with rain slowly spreading up from the southwest into the rest of Munster, Connacht and parts of south Leinster through the morning and afternoon.

"The rain will then gradually extend northeastwards to most parts in the evening, though it'll hold dry in some northern parts for the day. Highest afternoon temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees with mostly light variable breezes for a time, gradually becoming mostly moderate south to southeasterly, but freshening in the west and southwest.

"Sunday night will bring outbreaks of rain and drizzle, some of that heavy, especially in the west and southwest, with the likelihood of some localised flooding. Some hill and coastal mist and fog too. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees in mostly moderate, occasionally fresh and gusty southeasterly winds.

"It looks set to be a mostly cloudy on Monday with outbreaks of rain. Some heavy falls are possible with the chance of some spot flooding. It's likely to become drier in the southwest though, with some bright spells possible. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees in light or moderate southeast or variable winds.

"Monday night will be mostly cloudy with further outbreaks of rain, some of it heavy, though the rain is expected to ease overnight. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 6 degrees in a light to moderate easterly breeze.

"Tuesday will be another mostly cloudy day, and while it'll be a little drier overall, there'll still be some outbreaks of rain. Heavier and more persistent rain is likely to push up into southern and southwestern parts in the evening. Highest temperatures generally ranging from 9 to 12 degrees in mostly moderate easterly winds.

"It's likely that rain will spread northeastwards on Tuesday night, some of it heavy. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 5 degrees in moderate to fresh and gusty easterly winds, becoming stronger at times in eastern and northern coastal parts.

"Wednesday will be mostly cloudy for a time, with further outbreaks of rain, heavy at times. It looks like the rain will tend to clear northwards through the day, with some bright or sunny spells following on from the south. Plenty of showers will follow too though, some heavy, with the likelihood of hail and the possibility of thunder too. Highest temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees in moderate to fresh east to southeast winds, veering southerly.

"Wednesday night will bring further showers, some heavy and of hail, though they're likely to become isolated overnight with long dry spells developing. Lowest temperatures of -2 to +2 degrees with some frost and ice forming as winds ease."

Beyond that, their further outlook states: "It looks set to stay unsettled for the remainder of next week and into the Easter weekend with further showers or longer spells of rain, heavy at times."