‘Biting cold Arctic air’ to push weekend temperatures below freezing

Plenty of sunshine and dry conditions amid cool weather on Saturday and Sunday

Frosty leaves in Dublin’s Phoenix Park: it will be too  breezy in most places for frost on Saturday but as the wind drops on Sunday frost looks likely. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Frosty leaves in Dublin’s Phoenix Park: it will be too breezy in most places for frost on Saturday but as the wind drops on Sunday frost looks likely. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire

It is going to be a “bitingly cold” weekend as temperatures are set to fall below freezing. However, there is no need to stay inside because plenty of sunshine and dry weather is also forecast for Saturday and Sunday.

Met Éireann forecaster Michelle Dillon said the weekend would be cold, breezy and bright with some "nice sunshine".

"There'll be a biting cold Arctic air flow, but to compensate you'll have that nice, bright, clearer air," she said. "It will feel very raw, especially up in some parts exposed to winds, say up in Ulster, parts of the west coast and places exposed to the northerly breeze."

Ms Dillon said there was a chance of only a “touch of frost” on Saturday night due to the blustery winds, but on Sunday night frost would be widespread.

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It will also be colder on Sunday night with temperatures dropping below zero to between -1 to -3 degrees.

"On higher grounds you couldn't rule out a little flurry [of snow], high up in Donegal, " Ms Dillon said.

Sharp frost is expected on Monday night with temperatures dropping to -2 degrees.

While November has certainly arrived with a chill, most of Ireland had its driest October in a number of years – although Co Kerry went against the trend and had record-breaking rainfall for the month.

Rachel Flaherty

Rachel Flaherty

Rachel Flaherty is Digital Features Editor and journalist with The Irish Times