Northern Ireland is in line for freezing conditions and the prospect of snow from next week with the first taste of winter on the way.
While we have been enjoying milder weather in autumn so far, the Met Office has confirmed there will be change coming after a weekend that will bring a mixture of sunshine on Saturday but rain on Sunday.
Met Office forecaster Grahame Madge told the Belfast Telegraph: “The early part of Saturday morning is likely to bring fairly fleeting rain that is gone within an hour or so and behind that will come clearer conditions.
“Those clearer conditions will induce some showers and some will be a bit wintery but there is no real prospect of snow. You may see a bit of sleet and the odd snow shower but there is no prospect of any settling snow for the weekend.”
However, the forecaster explained things will change towards the beginning of next week, mirroring the weather picture across the rest of the UK where the Met Office has issued a yellow snow and ice warning for parts of northern England and southern Scotland.
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Mr Madge explained from the middle of the week in Northern Ireland there will be the chance of some laying snow on the ground in parts of the country.
“Things begin to change a bit from Sunday night. We have quite a bit of rain coming through and not much signal for any snow on that day,” he added.
“But when we start to get into late Monday there is a signal for snow across northern coastal parts of Northern Ireland. It will be mainly mixed snow and rain and the odd more sustained snowfall within that.
“As we get into later on Tuesday, the dominant showers are likely to be wintery and some of that will include snow. There is not a strong indication for snow to remain laying but there are a couple of spots along the northern part of Northern Ireland where that could be a possibility.
“We might see snow showers for a while, but a possibility everywhere north of Lough Neagh there is the very small chance of laying snow.
“I think the main disruption rather than snow will be the advent of much colder conditions and, for example, ice.
“From Wednesday will be when the cold conditions really start to become apparent with daytime highs of 6 C. Overnight temperatures will be coming down to within touching distance of freezing.”
Forecasters say the change in the weather is a result of low pressure moving in.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Rebekah Hicks said: “Temperatures will drop as a northerly airflow develops, bringing in colder Arctic air.
“This introduces the possibility of snow, initially over high ground in the north from Sunday, with gusty winds also a potential hazard.”
It comes as a separate warning for snow and ice is in place in northern Scotland from 4pm on Sunday until 11am on Monday.
The cold front arrives after weeks of mild, above-average temperatures.
Mr Madge added: “It’s going to get colder over the coming days – it’s still pretty mild in the south but there is a cold front that will be sinking south across northern parts of the UK.
“There’s going to be some wintriness in the hills, for example, tonight and into tomorrow.
“That’s all at quite high levels – Scottish mountains, Lake District maybe.
“Then we get into our warning period for snow and ice.”
The weather could cause issues on the roads and railways, with longer journey times by road, bus and train services.
The Met Office has also warned of the possibility of icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.
Mr Madge said the cold spell would still be “largely sunny”, with “clear sunny spells”.