Major Met Eireann update on Cold Snap for Kildare and rest of country

First big freeze of the year so far

Met Éireann has issued an update to its cold weather Advisory for Ireland and confirmed wintry falls for some areas early next week.

The national forecaster has pinpointed Monday evening as the real start of the country's first cold snap of the year with the plunging temperatures set to last through to next weekend - as low as -4 degrees Celsius at night. 

The latest forecast issued at 7am on Saturday says:

• An Arctic Airmass will persist from Tuesday to Friday, bringing a mix of sunshine and scattered wintry showers of rain, hail, sleet and snow.

• 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.

• Next weekend: Met Eireann also said there's uncertainty in the forecast for next weekend, th the possibility that the cold wintry snap will continue.

 Met Éireann says: "

"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, with some lying snow 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, but with the possibility that the cold wintry snap will continue."