Cold weather is set to be a feature of the coming week, according to Met Eireann. Forecasters say showers will also be a feature along with some wintry sleet or snow in northern counties.

Today’s weather is set to be cold. There will be bright spells in places at times, however heavy rain or rain showers are forecasted in places also. It will be much colder than recently with afternoon temperatures of six to nine degrees with northwesterly winds.

A sharp frost is forecast for tonight with further showers particularly in the north and west some turning wintery in northern counties with some sleet and snow.

Met Eireann is expecting tomorrow will be cold and bright with scattered showers. Some of these showers will be wintry in parts of Ulster with highest temperatures of four to eight degrees.

Northerly winds on Wednesday will bring heavy showers of rain across much of the country this week. It will be a cold day again with highs of seven to nine degrees, according to forecasters. Overnight there will be a widespread frost.

There will be no relief from the cold on Thursday but forecasters are saying it will be dry in most places. There will be some showers in coastal areas of Leinster and east/north-Ulster. Highs temperatures will be five to seven degrees with a severe frost again overnight.

Friday will be cold and dry with highs of six or seven degrees.

The cold weather is set to continue over the weekend. With highs of five to seven degrees falling to freezing and below overnight.