THE WEATHER IS set to take a more colorful turn this morning thanks to some phenomena from the African desert, before dropping to -2 conditions for parts of Ireland over the coming nights.

An “orange” tinge is expected to be visible for parts of the east of the country thanks to a ‘Saharan dust plume’ stretching into Europe.

A senior scientist with the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service – which has offices across Europe – has explained that the dust plume is an air mass originating from the Sahara which is to reach up to the UK and the Irish Sea.

It will mean a “more colourful sunrise this morning”, Mark Parrington of Copernicus told RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland programme this morning.

As rain is expected this morning it may also result in plume particles getting brought to ground level, leaving a “deposit of dust on cars and washing left out on the line”, Parrington added.

The overall forecast will see today’s wet weather joined by temperatures of up to 8 degrees, before they plummet later this evening.

Met Éireann is forecasting frost and ice developing amid clear skies tonight.

But the weather will pick up tomorrow – with highs of 8 to 11 degrees – before again reversing to a -0 freeze.

This pattern of milder, sunny weather before a nighttime plunge will continue throughout the rest of the weekend, according to the forecaster.