Donegal weather gets much needed respite after week of treacherous conditions

Currently there are no weather alerts in force as Donegal faces the weekend without freezing weather conditions, in a week which was marked by treacherous road conditions, some power outages and the closure of a number of schools in the county.

However, a small craft warning for all coasts currently remains in place until Sunday afternoon at 4pm with southerly winds said to reach force 6 or higher.

The major Donegal road routes were gritted from 4pm on Friday evening on, Donegal County Council said, but there are no reports that they have been out this Saturday morning.

State forecaster, Met Éireann say that it will be mostly cloudy today with a good deal of dry weather overall.

Through the day, there will be some patchy light rain and drizzle at times.

Highest temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees in moderate southerly winds, fresher near coasts are forecast.

Tonight they say that in Ulster it will be largely dry and dull before scattered outbreaks of rain move in from the west through the night. Lowest temperatures of 6 to 8 degrees in mostly moderate southerly winds with mist and hill fog developing.

Temperatures over the next few days are not expected to fall to the levels experienced over the past week and Sunday is said to be dull and damp at first with scattered outbreaks of rain.

The rain will clear eastwards by early Sunday afternoon with drier conditions following along with occasional bright spells though some patches of light rain or drizzle will still occur.

Temperatures of 9 or 10 degrees with moderate southerly winds easing light through the day are anticipated.