Update on the very cold period of weather & snowfall to hit Donegal next week
UPDATE 2
This update is to cover County Donegal on the potential impacts the weather will have early next week with many types of weather across the county depending on where you live.
It will be very cold from Sunday onwards in particular up until next Thursday with snow in some parts of Donegal over the early days of next week with a risk of of a more widespread snowfall later in the week.
Next week the very cold spell of weather could see temperatures as low as -6C in places with Donegal looking set to be one of the coldest places in the country next week with the added severe windchill factor.
Nights will a severe frost forming across the whole county with some ice also.
Day time temperatures will stay below freezing in parts of the county with any frost or ice in many areas not thawing.
SNOW RISK OF DONEGAL
At present as of this afternoon the highest risk of any snowfall will be across northern coastal areas of Donega early next week Monday until Wednesday where some showers will move in of the sea and depending on the wind direction it will depend on where these fall.
Back in 2018 similar conditions occurred across the northern half of Donegal with hours of snowfall feeding in of the north coast due to the sea streamer effect. But the rest of Donegal remained dry with only a few areas seen a few flurries and of snow .
However across the Irish sea some sea streamers are forecast to form with some of the higher resolution models starting to pick up on these now and bringing them east to west across Ireland into some western parts which includes parts of Donegal but these could be hit or miss with some areas seen these narrow bands of snow and others around 5km away not.
It is something I will be keeping a eye on over the early stages of next week to see if the can make it all the way across into the northwest and west but come Monday I will have a better idea.
TEMPERATURES
From Sunday night into Wednesday very low temperatures are expected during these days and nights with temperatures possibly dipping as low as -6C to -7C across Donegal with severe frost and ice developing in all areas with any wet roads or footpaths becoming for icy.
Day time temperatures also will struggle to rise above freezing with temperatures between -1C to 2C
SEVERE WINDCHILL FACTOR - STRONG EASTERLY WINDS
A severe Windchill is also expected next week especially on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday across Donegal with a Windchill factor possibly as low as -6C to -12C. The Windchill factor will be greatest across higher ground areas exposed to that northeast to east wind
SUNDAY WINDCHILL
MONDAY WINDCHILL
TUESDAY WINDCHILL
WEDNESDAY WINDCHILL
LATER NEXT WEEK
Later next week an Atlantic frontal system looks set to move in from the Atlantic and could lead to a more widespread fall of snow across Donegal possibly even a significant fall of snow later Wednesday ,Thursday or Friday as it hits that very cold air. there is some uncertainty on this at the moment with more known near the start of next week . Next weekend its set to turn a little milder but over the early stage of the following week models are now showing a return to very cold weather again but this time it shows a much drier and frosty set up with less snowfall.
LIVE STOCK DANGERS - FARMERS
I would also like to add one final thing for famers with livestock especially over higher ground areas to be alert and keep a eye on the forecast due to the significant risk of snowfall for mainly northern parts of Donegal early next week and possibly more widespread snowfall later in the week. Low temperatures and a added wind chill factor will create very harsh conditions putting animals in danger exposed to such conditions.
Kenneth from the Donegal Weather Channel
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