Weather: Blustery and cold weekend ahead

A band of low pressure is to move across Ireland during the course of the weekend, bringing temperatures of -3 in some areas, blustery weather and even some snow on higher ground.

Tomorrow, Thursday, will see brisk west to northwest winds of between 50-70 kms at times. Expect a coating of snow on most higher summits with 5-15 cms in the north and west.

Friday will be a breezy day once again, with winds reaching 40-60 kms. And it will be quite cold with passing wintry showers. Temperatures will drop to as low as -3 to -1 Celsius at night, reaching just 4 to 7 degrees during the day. There will be additional snowfalls on higher ground in Connacht and west Ulster. 

A frosty start to the weekend on Saturday will see the weather remain mostly dry in many parts but some onshore bands of sleety showers are likely.

Saturday night and on into Sunday looks to be windy and cold across the south, with sleet forecast inland and snow on higher slopes above 300m across the south and east.

By late Sunday there may be a second wave of sleety or mixed precipitation. Heavy wet snow could fall above 300m on Wicklow and Dublin hills, and in higher parts of Waterford, Kilkenny. 

There's more risk of heavy wet snow on hills on Monday with winds generally reaching northeast 40-60kms.