**ECMWF Forecast snowfall risk Monday night to Wednesday**

The colder air has arrived from Scandinavia with a dip in temperatures with the cold spell underway. Some parts of North Donegal , Leinster and southern coastal areas of Munster have started to see there first light falls of snow this morning in the way of snow flurries or grapple.

At the moment these will not accumulate to anything over lower levels due to them been light in nature and as I mentioned in the snow risk risk forecast it will be later this afternoon into tonight before we start to see heavy enough snow showers moving in of the east coast leading to accumulations

With the colder air now in place across Ireland some places today will struggle to get above freezing with temperatures across parts of North Leinster, Ulster and Connacht only between 0C to 2C at present with and across south Leinster and Munster 2C to 4C.

Temperatures tonight will drop below freezing for many areas with lows of around -4C to 0c coldest across the northwest of Ireland on Monday night and Tuesday morning. Latest temperatures nationwide can be seen below

With the low air temperatures there also comes that strong easterly wind and a added wind chill factor which is severe in places already with some areas down to -7C this morning.

Between now and Wednesday night the Windchill will remain severe for many with some area down between -4C to -10C.

If you are heading outside it is advised to wrap up and keep warm.

Latest Windchill factor attached below

Risk of snowfall between Monday and Wednesday.

As I have said above a few light wintry flurries have been falling in places this morning but I am not expecting these showers to get any heavier until later this afternoon. Already this this morning sea streamer are trying to form in the Irish sea and coming this evening and tonight latest model guidance shows these becoming more beefy and heavier in nature moving east to west in over Leinster, east Ulster and into parts of the Midlands and at this stage we should start to see accumulations occurring by later tonight.

Some of these showers will form long narrow band as the pass over the country with some of these shower reaching areas as far away as Roscommon, and Galway by Tuesday morning.

Across northern parts of Derry/Donegal and southern parts of Wexford/Waterford/Cork will also start to see sea streamers becoming more heavier by tonight with some accumulations by Tuesday morning.

Image below shows the highest risk areas of seen showers by midnight.

Tuesday morning until Wednesday afternoon will be the most active period with showers moving east to west across the country giving falls of snow for snow for some areas but not all areas. Highest risk will be across northern coastal areas of Donegal/Derry, Southern parts of Wexford/Waterford/Cork, the midlands, East Ulster and Leinster especially north Leinster.

The below chart is from the ECMWF model show this risk Monday until Tuesday

TEMPERATURES

Monday night into Wednesday very low temperatures are expected during these days and nights with temperatures possibly dipping as low as -6C to -7C across the northwest, southwest and west with severe frost and ice developing in all areas with any wet roads or footpaths becoming for icy. Temperatures mostly will be between -2C to -5C.

Day time temperatures also will struggle to rise above freezing with temperatures between -1C to 2