RISK OF WINTRY CONDITIONS THIS WEEKEND AND SNOWFALL FOR PLACES BY SUNDAY
There were no reports of injuries at the scene in Hampstead. Pic: @DoctorKenny
This weekend will turn much colder with a return to wintry conditions for many areas especially by Sunday where the will be the risk of blustery showers falling as rain, sleet and snow. The conditions needed for snow to fall in Ireland are tricky to forecast even at short notice and over this weekend and the start of next week there may be well weather warning issued at short notice so i would advise the public the keep up to date with the forecast over the weekend period and early next week.
Just like last Sundays weather a weather warning was issued at a very late stage even though snow was forecast to fall in some places the amounts was the one that even caught forecasters out due to the sudden change in conditions which lead to a warning for snow and ice to be issued only a few hours before it fell.
Its easy for many to give out about warnings not been issued in time but the don’t know the many things that’s needed to fall into place for snow to fall and believe me when it comes to Ireland the margins are fine and slim most of the time which is why you may have snow and a mile up the road has none.
For snow to fall to the ground, the temperature must be cold both up in the clouds where snowflakes form, and down at ground level. If the air near ground level is too warm, the snow will melt on its way down, changing to rain or freezing rain.
Snow forms when tiny ice crystals in clouds stick together,to become snowflakes.If enough crystals stick together, they'll become heavy enough to fall to the ground. snow is formed when temperatures are low and there is moisture in the atmosphere in the forms of tiny ice crystals
Wind direction, Upper air temperatures, dew point temperatures and the elevation can also play a factor for example when you see snow on the mountains and none at ground level this means that the snow fell as snow over the mountain but as it kept falling to ground level it turned to sleet and rain.
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Anyway back to the weather for the weekend on Saturday there will be showers over the day these falling as mostly rain over the day across Ireland heaviest over Ulster where they may even turn to sleet and snow but this most likely over high ground giving a dusting to some mountains and upland areas.
As we head into Saturday night and Sunday morning there will be further showers and turning increasingly more wintry over night especially over the west, northwest and north of Ireland where some accumulations of snow look possible by dawn Sunday morning on some low level areas and mountains particularly around Donegal, Tyrone, Derry, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Sligo and Mayo. Isolated showers of sleet and snow will also be possible further inland over Connacht and Ulster on Sunday morning.
Over the day there will be the risk of further wintry showers of sleet and snow but some showers also falling as rain these showers will be heaviest across Connacht and Ulster with there will be the ongoing risk of some accumulations of snow to lower level areas especially over areas above 300 metres above sea level.
Over night it will be come much drier across Ireland but cold with the risk of very icy conditions as well as frosty conditions, heavy showers will continue over the west and northwest of Ireland with some further showers of sleet and snow overnight into Monday morning.
Warnings are likely to be issued over the weekend for snow and ice especially for Sunday for Connacht and Ulster
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There is much uncertainty for Monday into Tuesday due to area of low pressure that looks set to move in from the Atlantic and could give some strong winds to parts of Ireland and the UK. The track of the area of low pressure is uncertain but with it will come the risk of heavy rain and some model also show the risk of some of that rain possibly turning wintry as it passes over the country but again due to it uncertain track this can not yet be foretasted.
I will have another update again most likely on Saturday unless there is any big changes to the forecast over the next 48hrs, Have a nice weekend and if you plan to take to the roads stay safe.
Kenneth Mc Donagh from the Donegal Weather Channel
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