Leading weather experts have warned that 'winter might be coming early' as cold air moves down on Ireland from the Arctic region.
With a mediocre summer now well and truly behind us, a major change in our weather looks set for early next week and the below average temperatures may be here to stay.
Online forecaster Matty Wolves wrote: "I've got a feeling the Polar Vortex is going to struggle this winter and it will remain weak. A weaker PV will always bring the risk of colder outbreaks to lower latitudes.. A strong one tends to bottle that cold up over the Arctic!"
Read more: Major indie group follow up Irish hit with ode to small Galway town life
Read more: Serious triple Galway shops incident investigated as gardai chase 'unidentified man'
"Winter wants to come early according to the CFS (Climate Forecast System)!" he added in a recent post.
"The Winter of discontent was in 79... and I think we have a lot of discontent leading up to this one. Is the weather gonna play ball? Is that cold winter we are due now clearing its throat ready for the raw? Time will tell."
He also compared the upcoming winter forecast to the Beast from the East in 2018.
"How about the mother- f*&$er from Siberia in January," Matty wrote, referencing some long-term forecasts going into early 2025.
He warned not to take unreliable forecasts several months off too seriously, however.
"Cold outbreaks and wintryness would be more than possible with this kind of set-up. Remember folks, this is just for fun at this stage as it's far too early to be making confident predictions this far out just yet."
Met Eireann have issued the following short term forecast for this week.
Many areas will be dry on Tuesday night with clear spells. However, further showers will advance into the northwest overnight, these mainly affecting parts of Ulster and Connacht.
Minimum temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees with light to moderate westerly breezes are expected, fresh to strong at times near northwestern coasts.
Wednesday will be a little on the cool side for the time of year, with a mix of sunny spells and showers. Some of the showers may be heavy and prolonged, but southwestern counties could escape altogether and hold dry.
Maximum temperatures are expected to be 14 to 16 degrees in mostly moderate northwest winds.
Showers will clear away to the south on Wednesday night with much of the country becoming dry. Lowest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees in light to moderate northeast winds.
Thursday looks set to become mostly cloudy across the eastern half of the country with the chance of rain at times in Leinster and east Munster.
Current indications suggest it will hold dry further west with good sunny spells, especially in Atlantic coastal areas. Maximum temperatures of 16 to 19 degrees in moderate to fresh northerly winds.
There is a chance of further rain or drizzle in parts of the east and south on Thursday night but it will be largely dry elsewhere.
Join Galway Beo's top stories and breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
