Met Eireann have issued new cold weather warnings for 14 counties amid snow and freezing -6C temperatures.
Temperatures are set to plummet well into the minus as conditions turn cold and frosty over the coming days.
Met Eireann had issued a Status Yellow ice warning while the UK Met Office had issued a yellow snow and ice warning for Northern Ireland.
READ MORE:Ireland snow map shows exact areas to be smothered as Met Eireann weather warnings upgraded
The warning was due to the risk of hazardous conditions during freezing temperatures including icy stretches on roads and paths.
The 12-hour alert for Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Longford, Louth, Meath, Westmeath, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo will remain in place until 9am on Wednesday.
One of the biggest impacts bad weather can have is school closures, with parents having to make alternative plans at the last minute.
While everyone loves a snow day at school, closures can interrupt work and force changes in childcare plans.
There are currently no plans yet to close any schools due to the snow, however the Department of Education says the decision rests with school management.
A spokesperson from the Department of Education told the Irish Mirror: “There is no requirement for schools to report closures relating to weather events to the Department.
“The decision to close a school rests with the school management authority taking into consideration the full guidance and direction available from the principal response agencies, especially An Garda Síochána.
“Any decision to close is taken in the interest of child safety, having assessed the local risks and having consulted, as appropriate, with school transport operators.”
“Some of the issues that schools take into account include: conditions in the school itself, capacity of the school to ensure the health and safety of students whilst in school, ability of parents, students, staff and school transport services to safely negotiate local road conditions to reach the school, and guidance and direction from the principal response agencies.”
“Guidance on time lost due to unforeseen closures as a result of severe weather is set out in Circular 0005/2020 - Standardisation of the School Year in respect of Primary & Post-Primary Schools for the years 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23.”, the spokesperson said.
However, your school’s own website and social media may also be able to give you up-to-the-minute information.
Carlow Weather's Alan O'Reilly said: "I expect more warnings to be issued for Thursday and Friday so stay up to date!"
Met Eireann's Andrew Doran-Sherlock said: "Tonight, it will be a very cold and frosty night. Bright for most though, with cloud in the south gradually building up over Munster and south Leinster with a few patches of rain, sleet and snow moving into the far southwest.
"Lows of -4C to 0C generally but falling as low as -6C locally in Ulster and north Connacht.
"We will have another cold and frosty start tomorrow, especially in the north.
"It will be largely cloudy over the southern half of the country for much of the day, with outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow at times in southern areas, while staying dry and sunny further north. Highs again of just 3C to 6C."
He added: "There is some uncertainty indeed for Thursday, but there does look like there will be outbreaks of sleet and snow over much of the northern half of the country with some accumulations possible.
"Very cold there with temperatures struggling to get above freezing.
Full forecast for the week
Tuesday night
Cold and frosty tonight.
Dry for most with cloud in the south gradually increasing over Munster and south Leinster and a few patches of rain, sleet and snow developing in the southwest and spreading eastwards by dawn.
Lowest temperatures of -4 to 0 degrees, falling as low as -5 or -6 degrees in Ulster and the northwest.
Light to moderate northeast to east winds, fresher in the southwest.
Wednesday
Rain, sleet and snow from the southwest will become countrywide with parts of Ulster will staying dry.
Lowest temperatures of minus 2 to plus 2 degrees, colder over Ulster with temperatures there as low as minus 4 degrees. Moderate to fresh easterly winds.
And Thursday could see the heaviest snow with "accumulations likely", particularly in the north.
The sleet and snow will continue into Friday and even Saturday, before temperatures slowly start to recover.
Thursday: Rain sleet and snow with accumulations possible over the northern half of the country. Temperatures struggling to get above freezing in the north, it'll be milder further south, with temperatures there of 6 to 10 degrees. Moderate to fresh easterly winds will back north-easterly later.
Thursday night: Sleet and snow will become confined to the north and east later in the night with largely dry conditions developing elsewhere. Lowest temperatures of minus 2 to plus 1 degrees generally, colder in the northwest, with northerly winds easing light to moderate.
Friday: Rain, sleet and snow in the south at times with mainly dry weather elsewhere with just isolated showers. Highest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees in mostly light north-easterly winds. Becoming mostly dry for the evening.
Friday night: Mostly dry to start the night before rain, sleet and snow extends over much of the country. Lowest temperatures of minus 3 to plus 1 degrees generally, colder in the north where it will be driest.
Saturday: A wet day with widespread outbreaks of sleet and snow gradually transitioning to rain as temperatures increase through the afternoon, reaching 6 or 7 degrees in the north in the late afternoon and 12 or 13 degrees in the south.
Further Outlook: Unsettled with spells of rain and showers, heavy at times. Breezy at times too. Temperatures increasing through the rest of the weekend and early next week.
For further weather info, check Met Eireanns site here: https://www.met.ie/forecasts/national-forecast
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