ALERT: Met Eireann's Irish weather forecast predicts no end in sight for cold snap

Wednesday: A bitterly cold morning with widespread frost and ice along with patches of freezing fog, lingering in places through the day.

Otherwise, there will be sunny periods and scattered wintry showers, mainly in the north and west.

However, it will be cloudier for a time near southern coasts with the chance of some patchy rain.

Highest temperatures of -1 to +4 degrees with mostly light northerly breezes, more moderate near southern coasts.

OVERVIEW: Very cold initially with widespread frost and ice both by day and by night. Temperatures increasing through Thursday night and Friday as rain, sleet and snow moves northeastwards over the country. Milder for the weekend.

Wednesday night: Extremely cold, mostly dry and clear overnight. However, further wintry showers are expected in the northwest.

Lowest temperatures of -8 to -2 degrees generally, locally lower. Freezing fog patches will develop in light northwesterly breezes.

Thursday: Widespread frost and ice in the morning along with some freezing fog, lingering throughout the day for many despite the sunshine.

Well scattered wintry showers will continue in the morning, mainly in the north and west, but becoming more isolated later. Cloud will build in the southwest in the evening. Highest temperatures of -2 to +4 degrees generally in light variable breezes.

Thursday night: Dry at first with freezing fog developing. However, cloud will continue to build from the southwest overnight as a band of rain, sleet and snow moves into the southwest and spreads northeastwards over the country.

Further north and east it will stay mostly dry. Lowest temperatures of -7 to -2 degrees generally before turning milder from the southwest. Winds will become easterly and increase mostly light to moderate by morning.

Friday: Largely cloudy with outbreaks of rain and sleet with some falls of snow possible on high ground. Highest afternoon temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees generally but milder for southern coastal fringes.

Moderate, occasionally fresh, east to southeast winds.

Friday night: The outbreaks of rain will clear northeastwards overnight, becoming largely dry and clear for a time before patchy rain moves in from the west.

A milder night with lowest temperatures of 0 to 5 degrees generally. Southerly winds will ease light allowing fog to develop.

Saturday: Outbreaks of rain will be most persistent in the north through the day, elsewhere it will become drier through the morning with sunny spells developing.

Highest temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees generally, milder in parts of the west and southwest, in mostly light southwesterly breezes.

Further Outlook: Largely dry and settled with just patchy light rain and drizzle, mainly in the north and west. Highest temperatures generally between 6 and 10 degrees.