Snow showers forecast for St Patrick’s Day weekend

People attending St Patrick's Day parades are advised to wrap up with a "very cold" weekend expected, Met Éireann has said.

The forecaster said Saturday - St Patrick’s Day - would be dry in many areas, with bright spells, but there would also be scattered snow showers, mainly in eastern coastal counties and along the south coast.

Maximum temperatures will range from just 1- 2 degrees in the north and east and 5-6 along west and southwest coasts.

Met Éireann said Saturday night would be very cold and frosty, with scattered snow showers in the eastern half of the country but mainly dry elsewhere.

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The cold weather will remain on Sunday with more scattered snow showers forecast, most of them in Leinster and the eastern half of Munster.

It will be very cold and frosty again on Sunday night but mostly dry.

A yellow weather warning has been issued by the forecaster for Wednesday, with “very wet and windy weather” expected to affect mainly Munster and south Leinster during the day.

Concerns were raised at the weekend that a fresh period of snow was on its way when TV3 weatherman Deric O hArtagain posted a weather graphic on social media suggesting Ireland could experience temperatures of minus 8 degrees.

“So... no need for alarm just yet but something is stirring for next weekend. Could BeastFromTheEast could be making a come back?! Early tracking models for next Sunday 18th. Nothing confirmed. Will be keeping a close eye!!,” he posted on Twitter on Sunday.

Norwegian weather forecasting website yr.no, which uses international meteorological data, also cited a risk of sub-zero temperatures over the weekend. Its long-term forecast predicted some snow or frost on the east coast on Saturday night.

On Monday, Met Éireann said it was “too early to say” whether Ireland would see more snow but it revised its forecast on Tuesday.

While there will be heavy rain on Wednesday,the forecast for Thursday and Friday is for sunny spells with lighter showers.