Lock up your geraniums... winter weather is on the way

Winter is to arrive with a blast early next week with sub zero temperatures and wintry showers.

While the relatively mild weather will continue over the weekend, come Monday forecasters are predicting rain, hail and frost.

"Current indications suggest that the rest of next week will be very cold", a Met Éireann forecast said.

The national forecaster added that, from Tuesday, daytime temperatures would range from about 3 to 6 degrees Celsius. It said the nights will be very cold with lowest temperatures of between minus 5 and 0 degrees bringing widespread severe frosts.

“There’ll be a good deal of dry weather, but some wintry showers also, mainly in coastal counties,” it added.

Irishweatheronline has said there is some potential for snow by Wednesday.