AFTER BASKING in balmy temperatures last week, this week is proving decidedly more Baltic.
Belmullet enjoyed the second-warmest March day on record last Tuesday at 22.2 degrees, but yesterday temperatures in some parts had fallen by a massive 19 degrees.
Residents of Inishowen, Co Donegal, awoke to see their first snows of the year on the aptly named Sliabh Snaght, where lambs huddled close to their mothers for warmth.
Everywhere else, beach buckets and spades were replaced by brollies and scarves as cold air from the northeast saw nationwide afternoon temperatures hover between just 3 and 5 degrees.
Temperatures last night were tipped to drop to -1 degrees in sheltered places with wintry showers in the east and southeast. Most at risk of snow were Wicklow and parts of Kildare, with motorists warned to take care this morning.
“I don’t expect the snow to lie on the ground a long time,” said Met Éireann’s Harm Luijkx. “I expect it to melt away quickly as the ground is still warm from the recent warm spell.”
Today will start cold with afternoon temperatures of 6-8 degrees
Temperatures will reach up to 10 degrees on Thursday and the low teens over Easter.
