Cold weather is in store this week with a widespread hard frost to grip the country tonight, according to Met Eireann.
Today (Monday, December 3) will see patches of early frost and fog in some northern areas which will clear as the day progresses. Sunny spells of weather will develop later in the day and some showers will occur in coastal areas.
This drier, brighter weather will extend to the rest of the country this morning with spells of sunshine coming through more widely by the afternoon. Top temperatures will be a modest 7° to 10°.
Tonight will be a cold night with mostly clear skies and a few showers affecting northern coastal areas.
Tomorrow will remain cold again with frost and fog clearing gradually on Tuesday morning.
There will be some sunny spells but weather will turn hazy as cloud increases gradually from the south.
Rain will develop over south Munster later in the afternoon and top temperatures will be 4° to 6° across most parts but up to 8° or 9° along southern coasts.
Outlook
As the week progresses, the weather looks like it will be unsettled and changeable, the national forecaster predicts.
Scattered showers of prolonged and heavy rainfall will cross the country later in the week with a chance of sleet falling in areas also.
Drying conditions are predicted to be generally moderate or poor over the coming days. There will be very few – if any – chances to spray arising.
Most soils are saturated at the moment and poorly drained soils are generally waterlogged.