TRENDS for the week of 21 to 27 Jan 2021
-- Temperatures will average 2 to 3 deg below normal.
-- Rainfall will be near normal with some precipitation wintry at times.
-- Sunshine will also be near normal values.
FORECASTS
TODAY will be breezy to windy at times with passing showers of sleet,
cold rain, or snow, the snow more likely on hills above 250 m
elevations. Some sunny breaks will develop especially in eastern
counties. Winds west to northwest 40 to 70 km/hr, may ease for a time
this afternoon. Highs 3 to 7 C.
TONIGHT will be partly cloudy with further bands of mixed wintry
showers, snow line coming down to around 200m asl where these showers
encounter hills. Quite cold with northwest winds 30 to 60 km/hr. Lows -2
to +2 C.
FRIDAY will be partly cloudy and windy with passing wintry showers, more
frequently now of snow or hail. Winds northwest 40 to 70 km/hr with
some higher gusts in exposed Atlantic counties. Highs 2 to 6 C.
SATURDAY will be partly cloudy with more generous sunny intervals,
isolated wintry showers, some small accumulations of snow at times,
continued very cold with lows -3 to +1 C and highs 1 to 5 C.
SUNDAY will continue breezy and cold with passing snow showers, lows -4 to 0 C and highs 1 to 5 C.
MONDAY will start out clear with sharp frosts in many areas away from
somewhat milder west coast counties, lows around -6 to 0 C. Increasing
cloud leading to sleet by evening, highs 0 to 5 C.
TUESDAY will become somewhat milder especially south of a Galway to
Dublin line, where highs of 7 to 10 C are likely with occasional rain.
Further north, sleet or wet snow may continue before turning to rain
with highs 4 to 7 C.
WEDNESDAY will be breezy and milder with rain in all areas, strong
southwest winds developing, lows 4 to 7 C and highs 8 to 11 C.
The OUTLOOK is unsettled with further battleground scenarios possible
(rain south, sleet/snow north), and it may turn colder in general around
the weekend of 30-31 January. There are some indications of more
significant cold spells for February than these several January
episodes.
-- Peter O'Donnell for IWO