THE UK Met Office has issued an early warning for weekend snow across Ulster.
And even Met Eireann is now saying that snow could be on its way.
Both organisations say the ongoing battle between a cold easterly front and warmer Atlantic air will decide when the snow will arrive – but it is coming.
Between 2cms and 5cms of snow will hit Donegal on Friday.
And snow showers could continue until Sunday.
“We have issued an early weather warning for this weekend but it’s too early to say how much snow there will be or precisely how much but at this stage we believe snow is coming,” said a UK Met Office spokesman.
Met Eireann said: “During the weekend, winds are likely to turn easterly, increasing the risk of snow and severe frost at night.”
Peter O’Donnell a qualified weather forecaster with meteotimes.net said snow will feature at higher levels all week but said Sunday was the most likely day for widespread snow.
He said on his website: “A major storm system is currently indicated on several models and the details are uncertain, but the most likely outcome would be heavy rainfalls and strong east winds with temperatures in the 3-6 C range, also with heavy snow on higher summits.
“It would not take much to change this outlook to mixed precipitation at low elevations or even all snow in some northern or central districts. The track of the low is close to the south coast on a trajectory from WNW to ESE, which would only need to shift 100 miles south to bring in enough cold air for a snowstorm.”
He adds: “The models are loaded with active weather from this weekend to as far as they run, and my research model says a major push of very cold air is increasingly likely. That all together could mean a snowfall potential before the month is over but one or two days could turn out quite mild with strong westerly winds too. It promises to be a real “battleground” period.”
Our picture was taken at the Letterkenny Polestar Roundabout in 2010.
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