The cold southerly outbreak due later in the week and at the beginning of the weekend isn’t looking quite so daunting.

Early computer models suggested that frigid air moving in from the south would deliver rain,hail and snow to low levels in eastern and southern parts of the country by Friday however much of the moisture seems to be dissipating in the latest updates but still it will be very cool to cold.

Once this chilly passage moves through, a run of frosts are a possibility in central and southern regions with temperatures likely to dip below the freezing mark at night.

It was this time last year when temperatures nosedived resulting in the coldest May nationally for many decades.