Snow joke! Kilkenny braced for Big Freeze as temperatures plummet

Wrap up warm if you’re venturing out this week – forecasters are warning we could be hit with snow and sleet as temperatures plummet.

Met Éireann said today will be “be very blustery” with sunny spells and showers across Kilkenny and the South East and highest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees.

Tomorrow will continue showery, but the South East will see decent dry and sunny spells.

But Wednesday is when things will get very wintry after a cold night with sharp ground frost and icy patches on Tuesday.

Met Éireann warned: “Rain will spread countrywide quickly accompanied by strong winds too. The rain will be heavy and prolonged and may turn to sleet in places, especially over high ground in the north while continuing on Wednesday night.”

And more rain and sleet is on the cards for Thursday.

The national forecaster added: “Further windy condition with outbreaks of rain or sleet in the east on Thursday but clearer dry weather will follow from the west later as winds ease. A widespread sharp or severe frost will follow for Thursday night.”

Carlow Weather’s Alan O’Reilly also warned that weather charts are showing the potential for sleet and snow midweek.

“Latest ECMWF charts show a risk of some sleet and snow Wednesday night. Very marginal setup with high ground more at risk but one to keep an eye on as some could wake to a white Thursday morning,” he said.

“A cold week ahead as we stay on the northern side of the Jet Stream snow here on charts. Low pressure systems will move down from the northwest though bringing spells of rain and possibly wintry mix on high ground.”

Looking towards next weekend, Friday will be mainly dry with light winds but will stay cold with frost earlier and later in the day. And it will stay changeable and unsettled next weekend.