The lovely old Irish traditional jig The Frost is All Over can be found in almost every tune-book that was ever printed.
It has also found its way onto many an LP – long playing record – and now CD collections.
It can also serve as a description of the weather situation we temporarily find ourselves in – in that the frost is quite literally all over the country for the next few days at least and great care is needed by anyone who has to travel. The following is what Met Éireann is warning us of for today and the rest of the week.
Today – Tuesday, January 7th
A very cold day with sunny intervals and scattered wintry showers, mainly in the west of the province.
Frost, ice and lying snow will persist in some areas all day. Highest temperatures of just 0 to +5 degrees in light to moderate northwesterly winds.
Tonight
Extremely cold and largely dry tonight.
Lowest temperatures of -8 to -3 degrees with a severe frost and icy stretches. Light variable breezes will allow patches of freezing fog to develop. Low UV Index
Tomorrow – Wednesday, January 8th
A bitterly cold morning with widespread frost and ice along with patches of freezing fog, lingering in places through the day.
Otherwise, it will be mostly dry with sunny spells. However, it will be cloudier for a time near southern coasts with the chance of some patchy rain. Highest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees with mostly light northeasterly breezes, more moderate near southern coasts.
National Outlook Overview
Very cold initially with widespread frost and ice both by day and by night.
Temperatures increasing through Thursday night and Friday as rain, sleet and snow moves northeastwards over the country. Milder for the weekend.
Wednesday Night
Extremely cold, mostly dry and clear overnight.
However, further wintry showers are expected in the northwest. Lowest temperatures of -8 to -2 degrees generally, locally lower. Freezing fog patches will develop in light northwesterly breezes.
Thursday
Widespread frost and ice in the morning along with some freezing fog, lingering throughout the day for many despite the sunshine.
Well scattered wintry showers will continue in the morning, mainly in the north and west, but becoming more isolated later. Cloud will build in the southwest in the evening. Highest temperatures of -2 to +4 degrees generally in light variable breezes.
Thursday Night: Dry at first with freezing fog developing.
However, cloud will continue to build from the southwest overnight as a band of rain follows over the southwestern half of the country with falls of sleet and snow initially before quickly transitioning to snow. Further north and east it will stay mostly dry. Lowest temperatures of -7 to -2 degrees generally before turning milder from the southwest. Winds will become easterly and increase mostly light to moderate by morning.
Friday: Largely cloudy with outbreaks of rain and sleet with some falls of snow possible on high ground.
Highest afternoon temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees generally but milder for southern coastal fringes. Moderate, occasionally fresh, east to southeast winds.
Friday Night: The outbreaks of rain will clear northeastwards overnight, becoming largely dry and clear for a time before patchy rain moves in from the west.
A milder night with lowest temperatures of 0 to 5 degrees generally. Southerly winds will ease light allowing fog to develop.
Saturday: Outbreaks of rain will be most persistent in the north through the day, elsewhere it will become drier through the morning with sunny spells developing.
Highest temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees generally, milder in parts of the west and southwest, in mostly light southwesterly breezes.
Further Outlook: Largely dry and settled with just patchy light rain and drizzle, mainly in the north and west.
Highest temperatures generally between 6 and 10 degrees.
You Can Rise the Temperature
You can rise the temperature, your heart rate and your spirits with a listen to the Planxty version of the tune which can be found on their 1974 LP Cold Blow and the Rainy Night. Embrace the change and Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WSKERlUKXQ
You can contact The Maine Valley Post on… Anyone in The Maine Valley Post catchment area who would like to send us news and captioned photographs for inclusion can send them to: jreidy@mainevalleypost.com Queries about advertising and any other matters regarding The Maine Valley Post can also be sent to that address or just ring: 087 23 59 467.
