Ireland is facing a raft of brutal weather conditions with hail and thunderstorms set to hit parts of the country during the week.
Temperatures will plummet to below zero while frosty patches will arrive throughout the evenings.
However Met Eireann has said there will be some sunny spells throughout the week before temperatures will begin to climb again with a dramatic change arriving for the weekend.
A forecaster said: "Today will be a cool blustery day with a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers. Some of the showers will be heavy with the risk of hail and isolated thunderstorms especially over the northern half of the country. Showers will be more isolated over Munster. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees with fresh or strong and gusty northwesterly winds moderating in the evening.
"The outlook for the week is cool with some showers and sunny spells at first in northerly winds. The frost risk remains through Wednesday and Thursday night. Rain expected on Friday night with a milder but unsettled weekend following.
"Very cold on Wednesday night with lows of -3 to +1 degrees, and some frost developing. A few mist patches forming also in the very light winds.
"Thursday will be cool with sunny spells. There will be heavy showers feeding down over Ulster but elsewhere there will be a lot of dry weather generally and showers will be more scattered. Highs of just 9 to 12 degrees in a brisk north to northwesterly breeze.
"Another cold night on Thursday night with some frost in lows of between -2 and +2 degrees. It will be dry, apart from the odd shower on northern coasts.
"Friday will be mostly dry with some sunny spells through the morning and just a few showers in the north. Cloud will increase through the day with the likelihood of some rain pushing into the southwest after dark. Highs of 10 to 13 degrees in mostly light winds, strengthening in the southwest later.
"Rain will spread northwards to all areas Friday night in fresh southeasterly winds. Lows of 2 to 6 degrees.
"Saturday will see rain clearing northeastwards to showers and sunny spells. A milder day with highs of 13 to 16 degrees in moderate southerly winds.
"Showery on Saturday night and Sunday with breezy conditions at times and mild temperatures."
