Met Eireann confirmed snow and sleet will hit Ireland this week as it issued a winter weather advisory.
Forecasters expect temperatures to drop to freezing conditions across the country, starting from today.
A winter weather advisory for the whole country, issued from 11.46am today to 11.30pm on Saturday, December 10, read: "Very cold this week as an Arctic airmass sets in, bringing sharp to severe frosts and icy stretches on roads.
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"Showers of hail, sleet, and snow will occur during the second half of the week. Updates with potential warnings will be issued in the coming days.
"For winter weather preparation: www.winterready.ie. Get your 10-day location forecast on: www.met.ie."
For the general forecast, this week will start mostly dry with wet and snowy weather to take over towards the weekend.
Monday will see mainly dry conditions to the north and northwest with sunny spells.
Somewhat cloudier elsewhere with some scattered light showers. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees in mainly light or moderate northeasterly breezes, fresher near western and southwestern coasts.
Monday night will see some scattered showers continuing near the east and south coast but it will be mostly dry elsewhere with clear spells. Lowest temperatures of -2 to 3 degrees, coldest in the north with a widespread frost setting in, in light or moderate northeasterly breezes.
Tuesday will be dry in most areas with good sunny spells in many areas.
Just a few isolated showers especially near the east coast where it may be somewhat cloudier. Highest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees in light north to northeast breezes.
It'll be very cold on Tuesday night with light northerly breezes and largely clear skies.
There will be good sunny spells on Wednesday, though it will remain chilly, with afternoon temperatures reaching just 2 to 6 degrees. and being dry in most areas.
However, scattered showers will affect northern and northwestern coastal areas and these will edge further inland over Ulster and Connacht during the evening and night, turning increasingly wintry with falls of snow likely, especially on higher ground. Light north to northwesterly breezes. Bitterly cold overnight with temperatures below freezing countrywide leading to a widespread sharp to severe frost and icy stretches.
Thursday looks like a very cold day countrywide with sunny spells and scattered wintry showers of hail, sleet and snow in places. Temperatures in the low single figures in a light northerly breeze.
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