Very cold conditions are set to continue up to the middle of next week, according to the latest forecast from Met Éireann.
It will be very cold this morning (Friday, December 4), with widespread frost at first and some icy stretches on untreated surfaces. Many areas will be dry in the morning, with sunny spells, but scattered showers will occur in Connacht, west Munster and west Ulster, with some being wintry.
A spell of more persistent rain will develop in the northeast and will extend gradually across the country during the morning and afternoon, with a few heavier bursts, especially in the east and north. Some wintry falls possible, especially over high ground.
Tonight will be very windy, with outbreaks of showery rain at times, but clearer conditions with scattered showers will extend gradually from the east. It will be cold, with minimum temperatures of 2° to 4° in fresh to strong northerly winds, easing in most parts by morning.
It will brighten up tomorrow (Saturday, December 5), with sunny spells. Many areas will be dry, but there will be some scattered showers, mainly in Atlantic coastal counties and also in northern and eastern coastal areas.
Maximum temperatures tomorrow will be 5° to 8°, in mostly moderate north to northeast winds, strong for a time on western and southern coasts, but slackening later.
There will some freezing fog also. Minimum temperatures should be 0° to -3° generally, but one or two degrees higher on some coasts.
Sunday (December 6) will be mainly dry, with variable cloud cover. It will be very cold and frosty to start, with fog gradually clearing. However, frost and fog may linger in some areas for much of the day. Maximum temperatures will be 3° to 7°, in calm conditions.
Later on Sunday, outbreaks of rain will develop in the southwest, extending across most of Munster and possibly the far south of Leinster on Sunday night, with freshening easterly winds.
On Monday (December 7), rain in the south at first will clear southwards, giving way to a dry day in many areas, with bright or sunny spells developing, but scattered showers also, mainly in northern and eastern coastal areas, some possibly wintry.
It will remain very cold, with maximum temperatures of only 3° to 7°, in light to moderate northeasterly breezes. It will be very cold and frosty overnight, with lows of -2° to +2°, but mainly dry.
Tuesday (December 8) will be a cold, bright day, with sunny spells. It will be dry in many areas, but some scattered showers will occur, mainly in southwest, west and northern coastal counties. Maximum values are expected to be 4° to 7°, in mostly light to moderate north to northwest breezes.
Wednesday (December 9) will remain cold, with frost and fog clearing slowly during the morning, giving way to a bright and mostly dry day. However, current indications are for a spell of breezy wet weather to extend from the Atlantic late Wednesday and Wednesday night, introducing less cold conditions.