TONIGHT IS SET to be “very cold” as a mix of bright and showery weather is due to spread across the country over the weekend.

Met Éireann expects the rest of today to bring a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers, with showers becoming more widespread during the afternoon.

Some showers may be heavy and possibly bring hail, followed later in the day by a chance of snow on higher ground.

Highest temperatures during the day will be 6 to 10 degrees Celsius, which will drop to between minus 3 and one degrees overnight.

Met Éireann has forecast “very cold [weather] tonight with temperatures dropping to between -3 to +1 degrees under long clear spells with a widespread sharp to severe frost forming, with some ice patches”.

“Scattered wintry showers clearing the south overnight with further wintry showers moving into the north with a risk of isolated thunderstorms here. Light variable breezes,” the forecaster said.

Scattered wintry showers and a risk of isolated thunderstorms are expected during the night.

Tomorrow will start cold and bright with spells of sunshine but turn cloudier during the day.

“Dry in many places with wintry showers skirting northwestern and northern coasts in the morning, some heavy with hail,” Met Éireann forecasts for tomorrow.

“Cloud will increase through the afternoon with showers of rain, hail and sleet developing and becoming widespread later in the day with a risk of thunderstorms too.

“There’ll be some snow showers also, especially over higher ground. The showers will become isolated in the evening. Highest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees, coldest in the north, in light to moderate northerly breezes.”

Similarly, Sunday is set to begin cold and bright with some isolated showers before becoming wet in some parts of the country.

Ulster and Connacht will likely see rain on Sunday while the south and east stay drier with some sunshine.

Highest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees Celsius are expected during the day on Sunday followed by lowest temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees during the night.