Ireland weather: Five days full of snow confirmed as Met Eireann pinpoint exact counties hit

Five days full of snow have been confirmed by Met Eireann as the forecaster also pinpoints the exact areas that will be hit.

After this weekend, the weather is expected to turn “much colder” with an arctic airmass moving down across Ireland and temperatures becoming “well below the seasonal normal”.

The national forecaster explained that an area of low pressure system will track eastwards across Ireland on Monday bringing some heavy rain.

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Sleet and the likelihood of some snow is also there, mainly for Ulster.

After that clears to the east on Monday night, the spell of very cold and wintry weather will follow and will then persist throughout much of next week.

To keep up-to-date with Ireland's snow forecast - a LIVE snow tracker can be found here.

Here is your weather forecast for the week ahead from Met Eireann, including maps showing the counties that will be affected by snow:

Saturday, 16 November

This afternoon, any remaining rain and drizzle in Munster and south Leinster will clear to the south. Bright or sunny spells will extend to all areas. There'll be some showers in north Ulster. Highest temperatures of 8 to 12 degrees with light to moderate west to northwest winds.

Tonight will be mainly dry with clear spells and a few showers in Ulster. Cloud will increase from the west overnight. Rain and drizzle will develop in the west and northwest by dawn. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 6 degrees generally, though less cold in western coastal parts in light to moderate westerly winds.

Sunday, 17 November

Sunday will be mostly cloudy. Outbreaks of rain will mainly affect the northern half of the country thought the morning and will extend further south through the afternoon and evening, possibly becoming more persistent. Highest temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees with light to moderate mainly westerly breezes.

Sunday night will be cloudy with outbreaks of rain and it will become rather breezy for a time, especially in the west and south where winds will increase moderate to fresh westerly. Lowest temperatures generally of 4 to 9 degrees, but colder in Ulster with lows there of 1 to 4 degrees and winds will be lighter further north too.

Monday, 18 November

An area of low pressure moves across Ireland on Monday bringing outbreaks of rain, heavy at times. There'll be some falls of sleet too, mainly further north, with some snow possible too, mainly for northern hills. Highest temperatures of 4 to 12 degrees (north to south) and breezy with moderate to fresh cyclonic variable winds, strong at times in coastal parts.

The rain, sleet and snow will clear eastwards on Monday night with clear spells following and with a cold arctic airmass moving down over Ireland. So it'll turn very cold on Monday night with frost and ice forming as temperatures fall back to between -3 and +2 degrees, with winds becoming mainly northerly and decreasing light to moderate. A few wintry showers will follow into parts of the north and west.

Tuesday, 19 November to Friday, 22 November

The arctic airmass will persist for the rest of the working week, bringing a mix of sunshine and scattered wintry showers of rain, hail, sleet and snow. The showers will be most frequent across the north and parts of the west and southwest, but some will make their way further inland and to the east at times too. Some lying snow is expected, especially over the hills, but not exclusively. There will be widespread frost and ice at night, persisting by day in places, with some hazardous travelling conditions. It will be much colder than average for the time of year with typical daytime temperatures ranging from around 2 to 6 degrees whilst night-time temperatures will range from around -4 to zero degrees, possibly lower locally. Winds will be mostly moderate or fresh north to northwesterly, stronger at times in coastal parts of the north and west, so there'll be an added wind chill factor at times too.

Next weekend

There's uncertainty in the forecast for next weekend, with the possibility of some mild and very wet and windy weather but there's the possibility that the cold wintry snap will continue.