SNOW is likely to fall across the entire country this week with night time temperatures falling as low as -5C, according to Met Éireann.
Ireland's national forecaster has issued a Status Yellow snow/ice warning for all Irish counties from 6am on Tuesday to 6pm on Saturday.
Wintry showers with accumulations of snow on high ground are expected in the coming days with the first snowfall expected tonight.
In the early hours of tomorrow morning, frost and icy conditions are expected as temperatures plunge to between -1C and +2C.
Met Éireann forecaster Matthew Martin said the freezing weather is expected to last until at least Friday.
Weather Alert. Level: Yellow. For Ireland.https://t.co/ozrQHtoOkt
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) 28 January 2019
"So it looks like we're in for one of the coldest weeks of the winter season so far," he explained.
Tuesday and Wednesday will have clear spells, but there will be scattered wintry showers with sleet or snow in northern areas and on hills and mountains.
On Thursday, another low pressure system will move eastwards from the Atlantic bringing a "risk of more widespread snow", according to Mr Martin.
"It could locally give significant falls of snow in inland areas away from the south-east," he said.
7 Day Forecast https://t.co/9gKN6SVok4 pic.twitter.com/4Zf8qzoOFJ
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) 28 January 2019
Thursday night is predicted to be exceptionally cold with lows of -5C – leading to widespread frost and ice across the country.
As for Friday, temperatures are not expected to rise significantly above freezing throughout the day.
"Any snow that does fall will melt, but it won't be a significant melt," Mr Martin added.
Friday and Saturday will remain bitterly cold with wintery showers, but the long-term forecast suggests a slightly warmer start to next week.
In Northern Ireland, BBC Weather has forecast spells of sleet and snow amid "proper winter weather" – warning of possible travel disruption, particularly on Tuesday and Thursday.
However, the UK Met Office is yet to issue an official weather warning for the six counties as of Monday morning.
