Winter arrives with sub-zero temperature and snow in west

AFTER ONE of the mildest autumns on record, winter has arrived with a vengeance.

The first snow flurries of the year were reported yesterday at Knock and Belmullet, Co Mayo.

Temperatures were forecast to drop to –4 degrees last night in Ulster and north Connacht, with snow on higher ground.

Daytime temperatures today are likely to hover between 3 degrees and 6 degrees, with the mildest conditions in the south.

Snow showers can be expected in Ulster, although the snow is not likely to linger because temperatures will remain above freezing. Sleet will be experienced elsewhere.

“Winter is definitely here now,” said Met Éireann forecaster John Eagleton, “but I don’t think this can catch anybody by surprise.”

However, a repeat of the big freeze last winter is not forecast as the winds will be mostly from the west rather than from the north, which traditionally brings snow showers in winter time.

This time last year many parts of the country were in the grip of weeks-long freezing conditions and record levels of snow.

The forecast for the rest of the week is for cold, windy and showery conditions with temperatures between 4 and 8 degrees. There will be a brief rise in temperatures on Wednesday followed by a return to colder weather towards the end of the week.

Records produced by Met Éireann earlier this week show that it was the warmest autumn on record in most parts of the east and midlands, with the Phoenix Park experiencing its warmest autumn since records began 150 years ago.