The weekend weather forecast indicates freezing conditions over the next few days with the likelihood of sleet and snow.
There is currently a Status Yellow low temperature / ice warning in place for Ireland.
Met Éireann has said that it will be very cold with widespread frost and ice as temperatures fall to -3°C or below in many areas.
Potential impacts include hazardous travelling conditions and animal welfare issues and the weather warning will remain in place until 11 o’clock this morning (Friday, January 3).
The UK’s Met Office has also issued a Status Yellow ice warning for counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, Tyrone and Derry with icy surfaces leading to difficult travel conditions.
This weather warning will remain in place until 10:00a.m today.
Weather forecast
Frost and fog will clear this morning (Friday, January 3) to leave another cold day, but it will be dry and sunny in many areas.
In the west and north there will be scattered showers, a few possibly turning wintry. Highest temperatures will range from 2° to 6° in light to moderate westerly or variable breezes.
Staying cold tonight and mainly dry with clear spells. There will be a few well scattered showers near western and northern coasts, the odd wintry one.
Lowest temperatures of -3° to +1° are expected, locally colder where patches of fog and freezing fog develop. There will also be widespread frost and some ice forming once again.
Weekend weather
The frost and fog will clear through Saturday morning and it will be dry for a time in many areas with some sunny spells, especially further north.
Rain will gradually spread from the south-west over the course of the day, becoming heavy at times, especially later and as it meets the cold air further inland, it will turn to sleet and snow.
According to Met Éireann it will be a cold day with highest temperatures of just 1° to 6°, with the higher temperatures along the south and south-east coasts, where the precipitation will fall mainly as rain.
Winds will be mostly light easterly to begin, but will freshen through the day.
It will be a wet and cold night Saturday night with widespread heavy falls of rain, sleet and snow. The precipitation will mainly fall as sleet and snow away from the south and south-west, with some accumulations expected.
Lowest temperatures will range from -1° to +3° in moderate to fresh and gusty east to north-east winds, stronger in some coastal parts.
Sunday will bring further falls of rain, sleet and some further snowfall accumulations for a time. It will gradually become drier from the west later in the day as the area of low pressure moves away eastwards.
It will feel very cold with highest temperatures of 2° to 7° and with the added wind chill from fresh and gusty northerly winds.
On Sunday night, any remaining rain, sleet and snow will clear eastwards, with clear spells following. Scattered rain, hail, sleet and snow showers will follow too, mainly into the west.
It is expected to be very cold with some lying snow, widespread frost and ice. Lowest temperatures will range from -5° to 0° with the north to north-west winds easing.
Outlook for next week
Monday will be very cold with some bright or sunny spells and scattered showers of rain, hail, sleet and snow, these most frequent in the north and west.
Highest temperatures will range from freezing to 5° in light to moderate north-west winds, fresher in coastal parts of the north and west.
Monday night will be cold with some clear spells and further scattered wintry showers, these again mainly in the north and west.
Lowest temperatures of -4° to +2° are expected with widespread frosty and icy conditions. Winds will be light to moderate north-westerly, fresher in coastal parts of the north and northwest.
Another very cold day is forecast for Tuesday with treacherous icy conditions and lying snow.
Overall there will be a lot of dry bright, sunny weather, but still some scattered showers in the north and west. Highest temperatures of just 0° to 5° in light to moderate west to north-west winds.