White Christmas to arrive late

A TWO-DAY blast of freezing temperatures could see snow in parts of the country on St Stephen’s Day, Met Éireann has forecast.

Days after several schools closed due to the mercury dropping to -9C, forecasters believe the low pressure system will move across the country.

According to Met Éireann, the cold air will head down the country from the north on Christmas Day, and the following days bring a high risk of snow showers. The north and northwest look likely to experience the brunt of the winter conditions, but Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be relatively mild.

Ulster will be the coldest part of the country in the coming days, with those in the north and northwest advised to wrap up. Breezy, showery but relatively mild conditions are expected for Christmas Eve, though it will be a bit cooler for a time over Ulster. Met Éireann forecaster Deirdre Lowe said: ‘At the moment, Christmas Day looks like bringing some showery rain but good dry periods too with sunny spells.’

Fellow forecaster Michelle Dillon said weather models are not indicating a white Christmas is on the way, although she acknowledged there is ‘a bit of uncertainty in the detail’.

She continued: ‘After that then – into St Stephen’s Day – possibly things getting colder again. At the moment, it looks like staying on the more average temperatures, so some wet and some windy weather. There could be a chance of a few wintry flurries straight after Christmas Day, maybe into St Stephen’s Day, especially in northern parts.’

A slack airflow is expected to move in over Ireland this weekend, with frost, fog and rain arriving as a result. Temperatures in the midlands and north will once again dip below freezing.

Christmas Eve will bring a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers, possibly turning heavy at times near western and southern coasts.

Highest temperatures of 7 to 10C have been forecast.