A COLD SNAP is expected to begin in the coming days with temperatures dropping “well below freezing” from early next week, Met Éireann says. 

However, no major snow event is being forecast at the moment.

Speculation that similar scenes to 2018 – when the infamous ‘Beast from the East’ hit – could be experienced this month were raised several weeks ago as Met Éireann predicted a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event. 

This type of phenomenon can sometimes cause a similar pattern to the one that led to the large snow event that blanketed Ireland five years ago.

The national forecaster said on 10 February that the SSW event would add more uncertainty to weather forecasts and cause cooler temperatures in early March.

The latest outlook warns of temperatures down to near freezing or slightly below with light variable winds on Saturday and Sunday nights. 

“Winds will become northerly on Monday and freshen,” according to the latest forecast.

There’ll be scattered showers, some turning to sleet or snow on the hills and mountains, with temperatures of between 5 and 8 degrees. 

“Monday night will be very cold with temperatures dropping well below freezing as colder air moves over the country from the north,” according to Met Éireann.

“From Tuesday on it is expected to be colder with the chance of any showers turning to sleet and snow, although currently all indications suggest it will stay largely dry.”

Alan O’Reilly of Carlow Weather said on Twitter yesterday evening that “a blast of real cold air moving down from the North” is expected next week and claimed latest weather reports show “a chance of it lasting all week”.

Latest forecasts in the UK are warning people to prepare for snowfall, with lower-than-average temperatures expected across Britain. 

O’Reilly told The Journal yesterday that England and Scotland can sometimes experience much colder weather and snow, without the same conditions being experienced in Ireland.

Currently, a large snow storm in Spain has made headlines as the usually mild winter weather has been disrupted by Storm Juliette. Spanish roads were disrupted as the snowfall led to difficult driving conditions.

Croatia also experienced a large snow storm this week.