Grim weather news as this weekend set to kick off with sleet, snow and thunderstorms

Amid the signs of spring appearing in recent weeks, it seems that winter isn’t quite finished yet.

Met Éireann is forecasting a spell of fairly erratic weather over the coming days, and the first signs will begin later tonight with ‘frequent and heavy’ rain showers.

Friday will be a ‘cold and windy day with blustery showers’ and some of these will be ‘heavy with hail and sleet, and a risk of isolated thunderstorms.’ It will feel ‘noticeably colder with highest temperatures of just 5 to 8 degrees with an added wind chill factor.’

This is all just an appetiser as Friday night is when it will all kick off. Met Éireann’s forecast states that ‘Widespread showers will continue for a time early on Friday night, some of them wintry, with hail, sleet and snow, and an ongoing risk of isolated thunderstorms. The showers will gradually become confined to Atlantic coastal counties overnight. Westerly winds will be fresh to strong and gusty at first but they will ease down through the night. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 3 degrees, with a risk of frost in sheltered spots.’

Persistent rain will continue on Saturday before further outbreaks on Sunday.

Yikes. You can have a look at the forecast in more detail here.

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