Ulster

Issued at: 26 January 2020 06:00

TODAY - Sunday 26th January

Overnight rain clearing from eastern areas around dawn and any frost in western areas will clear also early this morning. The day ahead will be cold and blustery, rather cloudy at first but sunny spells developing. There will be rain or hail showers mostly in western and northern areas this morning but they will become more widespread this afternoon with some sleet or snow in places and isolated thunderstorms also. Afternoon highs of 3 to 6 degrees Celsius in fresh and gusty west to southwest winds.

TONIGHT

An organised band of rain, hail, sleet and snow showers will move east over the province this evening and early tonight but will clear eastern areas around midnight. There will be further hail, sleet and snow showers at times overnight, mostly in western and northern parts of the province where some snow will lie in places. It will be drier towards the east and south. Sharp frost developing with icy conditions likely, despite the fresh wind, in overnight lows of around zero degrees Celsius.

TOMORROW - Monday 27th January

Monday will be a cold bright day with frost and ice clearing slowly from most places during the morning. Good sunshine developing, but wintry showers also, a mix of rain, hail, sleet and some of snow in places. Highs of 3 to 5 degrees Celsius.

National Outlook

Overview: Cold and wintry at first. Milder from Wednesday, but staying unsettled especially in the west and north.

Monday night:
Very cold on Monday night, with clear spells and a widespread sharp frost. Blustery wintry showers continuing, with falls of hail, sleet and snow. Showers most frequent in the west, with lying snow possible. Lowest temperatures of -1 to +1 degrees, in fresh to strong and gusty west to southwest winds, with gales possible near the north coast.

Tuesday:
Cold and blustery, with sunny spells and wintry showers, mainly in western areas. Showers will be a mix of rain, sleet and hail, with some snow on high ground. Afternoon temperatures of 4 to 6 degrees, in fresh to strong and gusty westerly winds.

Tuesday night:
Clear spells and scattered showers at first on Tuesday night, but becoming more isolated as the night goes on. Some showers will be wintry, mainly on higher ground. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 3 degrees, in moderate to fresh and gusty westerly winds.

Wednesday:
Turning less cold on Wednesday, with a mix of cloud and sunny spells. Generally dry, with some scattered outbreaks of rain, mainly in western and northern areas. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees, in moderate southwesterly winds.

Wednesday night:
Dry in most areas on Wednesday night, but rain will possibly affect south and southeast coastal areas. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 6 degrees, in light to moderate south to southwest winds, fresh along northwest coasts.

Thursday:
Thursday is looking mostly dry with some sunny spells and just a few isolated showers, mainly in the northwest. Continuing mild, with highest afternoon temperatures of 9 to 11 degrees, in light to moderate westerly winds, fresher along northwest coasts.

Thursday night:
Dry for much of the night, but rain is expected to move into Atlantic counties by morning, possibly heavy at times. Light to moderate westerly winds backing southerly and freshening along western coasts. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 4 degrees.