NI wintry snap 'short-lived'

Parts of Northern Ireland have already seen sleet or snow on Tuesday and the mercury is expected to plummet to -3C by nightfall.

"Spring is a season of contrasts and it's certainly not unusual to see snow at this time of year," Martin Young, Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, said.

"However, this week's wintry snap will be short-lived with temperatures returning to normal as we head towards the Easter weekend."

We can expect to see some hard night frosts in the middle of the week, with temperatures down to between -4C and -6C in many places, with impacts for gardeners and growers.

Met Office

Despite earlier showers, Tuesday night is expected to end dry and clear - albeit cold and with a widespread frost, particularly around the Enniskillen and Banbridge areas.

After a frosty start, Wednesday is expected to be dry with bright or sunny spells and the best of the sunshine over Fermanagh and Armagh.

And after cloudy skies and patchy rain towards the end of the week, Saturday should be both drier and brighter.

Conditions beyond the Easter period and throughout April look to continue on the unsettled side, but closer to the seasonal average than the current cold snap.