ALERT: Met Éireann's five-day forecast predicts temperatures of -3 degrees

Tuesday: A frosty start Tuesday with lingering mist and fog but that will clear through the morning, leaving a mostly dry day with spells of sunshine. There will be some scattered showers, mainly in the north and east. Highest temperatures of 4 to 9 degrees in a light, variable wind.

Overview: Turning gradually colder with frost and ice and potentially some wintry precipitation.

Tuesday night: Mostly dry with clear spells, although isolated showers will affect some northern coastal areas. Cloud will increase in the west overnight and may bring some patchy light rain or drizzle. Cold with lowest temperatures of -2 to +4 degrees, so there will be frost and possibly ice in some areas. Areas of mist and fog will form as winds stay light and variable.

Wednesday: Mist and fog will slowly clear and it will be a generally cloudy day. Many areas will stay dry but there will be patchy rain or drizzle, mainly in coastal areas. Highest temperatures of 4 to 9 degrees in a light easterly wind.

Wednesday night: Cloud and outbreaks of rain or drizzle will move southwards on Wednesday night but will linger near the south coast. Patches of mist and fog are likely here too. Some showers will develop in the northwest later. It will be cold with widespread frost and possible ice as temperatures drop to between -3 and +1 degrees, coldest in the north, in a light northerly wind.

Thursday: Thursday will be cold with temperatures only reaching 3 to 6 degrees. It will be dry with sunny spells at first, but scattered showers will develop over Ulster and Connacht in the afternoon, extending further south in the evening. A few showers are possible near the east coast too. Some of the showers will be wintry, especially over higher ground. Light north to northwest winds.

Thursday night: Another cold night with widespread frost and potentially some icy patches. There will be scattered showers early in the night, some wintry, but they will clear from most areas by morning. Lowest temperatures of -3 to 0 degrees, in a light northerly or variable wind.

Friday: The first day of meteorological Winter will be cold with a mix of sunny spells and showers. Most of the showers will be in the north and east and some will be wintry. Highest temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees in a light to moderate northerly wind.

Outlook for the weekend: Staying cold with wintry showers at times.