A very cold week is in store with wintry showers of sleet and snow on the cards, according to Met Éireann.

Today will be very cold and breezy, the forecaster notes.

Scattered showers of sleet and snow will move in over the eastern half of the country, mainly affecting east Ulster and north Leinster, with largely dry conditions elsewhere.

Highest temperatures of just 1° to 4° are expected, with an added wind chill factor in mainly fresh easterly winds.

Tonight will be very cold with showers of sleet and snow drifting further inland and becoming more frequent, the national meteorological office says.

Lowest temperatures of -3° to +1° are forecast for tonight, with widespread sharp frost and icy stretches forming under clear spells. Moderate to fresh easterly winds, strong at times, are expected in the southwest.

Regarding field conditions, all soils are currently saturated with poorly drained soils waterlogged.

With only moderate drying conditions in the week ahead, there will be little change in field conditions. Poor trafficability can be expected, Met Éireann says.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow will be another cold and breezy day, the forecaster says.

It will be bright in many areas with sunny spells, but scattered showers of sleet and snow will continue through the day, most frequent over the eastern half of the country.

Afternoon temperatures will be just 1° to 3°, again with an added wind chill factor in mainly fresh easterly winds.

A very cold night is in store tomorrow night with frost and icy stretches forming under long clear spells.

Scattered showers of sleet and snow will become confined to the east and northeast, with largely dry conditions elsewhere. Lowest temperatures of -4° to 0° in a light to moderate northeast breeze are on the cards.

Wednesday

Wednesday will be another cold but rather bright day, Met Éireann says.

It will remain dry in many areas but scattered wintry showers will continue to affect north Leinster and east Ulster.

Frost and ice will linger through much of the day as afternoon temperatures reach just 1° to 3° in a light to moderate easterly breeze.

Wednesday night will see isolated wintry showers in the east and northeast; but it will be mainly dry elsewhere to start.

However, a band of rain, sleet and snow will gradually push into the southwest overnight. It will be very cold again with lowest temperatures of -3° to +1°, with widespread frost in moderate easterly winds.

Thursday

A very cold day is expected again on Thursday as rain, sleet and snow spread northeastwards across the country, with accumulations leading to hazardous conditions.

It will be quite breezy also with fresh southeasterly winds. Afternoon temperatures will be just 0° to 3° generally.

There will be further falls of snow in Ulster and Leinster on Thursday night, with outbreaks of rain elsewhere, and lowest temperatures of -1° to +3° in fresh southeasterly winds, Met Éireann concludes.