While January finished with heavy rain and flooding February is to kick off with a big chill, forecasters have warned.
Between tonight and Tuesday, Met Éireann has warned of “significant accumulations” of snow with the eastern half of the country expected to be worst-hit.
The meteorological service has issued a warning today that snow showers will be backed by biting easterly winds that will reach gale force at times and said that the cold snap will last until next weekend.
Temperatures will plummet to minus 3 degrees tonight with the brisk easterly breeze making it feel even colder. A severe frost will form and showers of hail, sleet and snow are likely along parts of the east and northeast late in the night.
Tomorrow further wintry showers are likely over parts of Leinster and east Ulster with some snow in places and temperatures will only rise to a maximum of 4 degrees. A band of wintry showers will gradually spread north-westwards to all areas overnight tomorrow and on Tuesday morning.
“The weather will be bitterly cold from Monday night through to next weekend”, Met Éireann said on its website.
“Temperatures will reach only low single figures by day. There'll be sharp or severe frosts at night with icy roads,” it added.
In Britain, where it has been the coldest winter in 13 years, 10 centimetres of snow have been forecast, with Lincolnshire and Yorkshire likely to be worst affected.
Meanwhile, flood waters around the country have receded today after heavy rain on Friday night and yesterday. In Clonmel, Co Tipperary, which was worst-hit in the floods, the situation has improved but gardaí have asked motorists to continue to avoid the area.
The Quays and many of the town's bridges remain closed today and access from the Dungarvan side is blocked.
In the United Kingdom, forecasters are predicting that up to 20 centimetres may fall in some areas as icy winds and heavy snow rolls in from the freezing wastes of Russia overnight.
The south east of England and the Pennines are expected to bear the brunt of the weather, but much of the UK will see heavy snow over the next 48 hours.
