MORE snow could hit Ireland this month despite temperatures remaining slightly above seasonal average over the new few weeks.
Met Eireann has refused to rule out wintry showers making an appearance in some parts of the country whilst a weather forecaster has confirmed that night frost could make a return in just a few days.
Easterly winds look set to dominate next week[/caption]
Met Eireann said conditions are predicted to “turn more unsettled” next week as the Azores anticyclone declines and low pressure moves into the seas to the west and south of Ireland.
As a result, southernmost parts will fare a little wetter than average but the rest of the country looks set to be “slightly drier than normal” for the time of year.
Meteorologist Cathal Nolan from Ireland’s Weather Channel also said temperatures and rainfall amounts look set to drop below average next week as easterly winds dominate.
And although Ireland is currently experiencing a “rather settled spell”, high pressure expected to dominate through next week and “possibly beyond” could force temperatures to fall.
Nolan explained: “The area of high pressure is likely to situate itself to the north or at times directly across the country next week, leading to a northeast to easterly wind which will see temperatures fall back a couple of degrees Celsius below average with night frosts returning.
“With our winds fixed in an northeast to easterly direction for much of next week our weather is likely to become very dry also, with good drying conditions forecast for agricultural lands.
“The only risk of precipitation is from some showers near the east coast.
“There’s a small possibility that some of these showers may even be of a wintry mix given the cooler upper air temperatures forecast, especially over higher elevations along the east coast.”
Looking even further ahead, to the week starting on March 24, Met Eireann refused to rule out wintry showers hitting the country.
But weather bosses explained that confidence in the forecast is low with the conditions being so far away.
The weather bosses said: “Confidence is low at this stage. The trend of slightly warmer than normal temperatures continues countrywide.
“However, this doesn’t rule out some wintry showers. For this week, rainfall amounts are predicted to be close to normal over the eastern half of the country and slightly above normal in the west.”
Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather warned people not to put the big coat away just yet, warning that cooler air will make a return next week.
POTENTIAL FOR MORE DRY SPELLS
He said: “Cooler air forecast to return over Ireland next week as some blue smarties move back over us.
“It does look more settled though with very little wind or rain next week. Don’t put away that winter coat though.”
And the trend of higher than average temperatures looks set to continue into the first week of April.
Met Eireann said: “There is a weak signal for week four that it will be a little drier than normal in all parts of the county, except for the southeast which will have near normal rainfall values.
“Pressure will be a little higher than usual and the trend for marginally higher than average temperature values continues.”
Met Eireann said that, although the rainfall forecast over the next few weeks is not too certain, there is the potential for drier spells, especially in April.
Southernmost parts of the country will fare a little wetter than average for the time of year[/caption]
Temperatures could fall a bit next week[/caption]