Winter has well and truly arrived this week with bitterly cold nights and frosty mornings forecast for the coming days.
Daytime temperatures are not expected to rise above 10 degrees this week while temperatures at night are set to fall below freezing in many parts of the country, according to Met Éireann.
Temperatures will drop to as low as -2 degrees on Monday night with frost developing in many areas. Temperatures will be slightly milder in Ulster where mist and fog patches will form.
Tuesday is forecast to be cold again and will start out misty with fog and frost. This will clear through the morning and there will be sunny spells over the south of the country but it will remain cloudy further north.
Temperatures are set to drop below zero again on Tuesday night in Leinster and Munster, however, it will be slightly milder in Ulster and Connacht where temperatures are set to range between 3 to 7 degrees. Rain will also develop across the country overnight.
Wednesday is expected to start rainy but this will clear by noon. It will be another cold day with a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers and temperatures ranging between 6 to 9 degrees. Nighttime temperatures will again drop to freezing in some parts with scattered showers near northern and western coasts.
Thursday will be another bright and cold day with some scattered showers on north-facing coasts and fresh, northwest winds. Temperatures will drop below freezing again with rain in the northwest and southeast.
Friday is due to be very cold with gusty northwest winds and rain while the cold weather is expected to continue through the weekend.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has warned road users to be wary of dense fog on the roads over Monday night and Tuesday morning.
The RSA said thick fog could lead to “hazardous” driving conditions, and reduced visibility.
A dense fog warning is in place from 4:30pm on Monday until 10am on Tuesday, for Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Tipperary and Waterford, the RSA said.
In a statement, the RSA said road users should allow extra time for journeys, and to slow down when driving through fog.
Other vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists should “ensure they are clearly visible to other road-users by wearing high visibility clothing and using lights”, it said.
