TEMPERATURES ARE SET to drop as low as minus two degrees in some areas overnight, with icy patches expected on the roads.

The forecast for the afternoon features a veritable smorgasbord of Irish weather: wind, sunny spells, widespread showers (some falling as hail) and thundery bursts.

Not untypical weather at this time of year – but the wintry spell has come as a surprise to many after the relatively benign, dry conditions of recent weeks.

Aoife Barry / TheJournal.ie Aoife Barry / TheJournal.ie / TheJournal.ie

The forecast tonight is for cold and frosty weather, with the rain and hail showers becoming largely confined to western coastal counties.

Temperatures will be between plus and minus two, according to Met Éireann.

The frost is set to clear tomorrow morning – but the hail and rain showers will return across most of the country by the afternoon.

The outlook for the following days is for less cold but still changeable weather.

Bank Holiday Monday – the first day of May – is likely to be showery, according to this afternoon’s forecast.

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