Met Eireann issued a new snow and ice warning for an additional 19 counties late on Tuesday night as brutal conditions are due to arrive before a welcome change at the weekend.
The weather alert is in place until 12:00 pm today with the forecaster warning of “scattered sleet and snow showers” which will bring “some accumulations” and “icy stretches”.
The full list of counties now under the Status Yellow warning are Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Cavan, Monaghan, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Donegal, Leitrim, and Sligo.
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As a result of this, it’s expected to be a vert “cold morning with widespread frost and ice and lying snow in some places”.
Today there will be sunny spells and scattered showers of rain, sleet, and snow, which will be heaviest and most frequent in the north and west - isolated hail and thunder is possible too.
By the evening time, the showers will be isolated and mainly in Ulster and the highest temperatures will range from 2 to 6 degrees in a moderate to fresh west to northwest wind.
On Wednesday night, it will be very cold with frost and icy stretches developing in many areas, leading to hazardous conditions.
There will be clear spells and scattered wintry showers in Ulster and north Leinster but it will become cloudy elsewhere, with outbreaks of rain and sleet developing overnight in Connacht and Munster.
The lowest temperatures will drop to between -4 and -1 degrees and will be colder locally in Ulster and the north midlands. Patches of freezing fog will develop in light and variable winds.
On Thursday morning the forecaster says “there will be outbreaks of rain and sleet in the west and south and isolated wintry showers elsewhere.
“As the day goes on it will become mostly dry and bright, although some patches of mist and fog may linger as winds stay light and variable. Cold with highest temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees”.
Thursday night will be another very cold night with minimum temperatures of -4 to -1 degrees.
It will be dry with clear spells early on but it will become cloudy overnight and rain or sleet will develop across Connacht, Munster, and parts of south Leinster with patches of mist and fog likely, in light and variable winds.
Friday will feature rain or sleet in the west and south which will clear southwards during Friday. Things will begin to get much milder with highest temperatures of 3 to 8 degrees, and will be coldest in Ulster and Connacht, with a light southerly or variable wind.
Saturday is where the biggest change will be seen in conditions as temperatures take a major hike and things get much nilder.
It will still be quite dull during the day with patches of rain and drizzle but temperatures will rise to between 7 and 11 degrees, in a moderate southerly breeze.
Saturday night will continue on this much milder trend with minimum temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees, in a light to moderate southerly wind.
It’ll be cloudy with rain in most areas, heaviest in the west and southwest.
Sunday will be a mostly cloudy day with scattered outbreaks of rain and highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees with light southerly winds.
As for the outlook for next week, it looks likely to remain mild and quite cloudy for the early part of next week, with rain at times.
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