Met Eireann have forecast more snow to arrive today as a yellow weather warning for snow and ice remains in place this morning for three counties and Northern Ireland.
The alert is active for Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo and will remain in place until 11am on Thursday - subject to easing conditions.
The national forecaster has predicted that thunderstorms with hail are possible in some parts of the country today, with sleet or snow showers forecast for Connacht and Ulster, mainly on hilly areas.
It will be a cold morning with frost and icy patches, which may lead to tricky driving conditions so drivers are urged to take care on the roads.
Highest temperatures of just 4 to 7C on Thursday with added wind chill from fresh and gusty northwest winds, which will make it feel even colder.
Met Eireann said: A cold start with some frost and ice, and wintry showers in Ulster. There will be scattered showers and sunny spells today.
“Showers will be most frequent and heaviest in Connacht and Ulster where some will continue to fall as sleet or possibly snow, mainly on hills. Isolated thunderstorms or hail showers are possible too.”
Overnight on Thursday, the weather will be cold and mostly clear with a widespread sharp frost across the country and some ice stretches as temperatures drop to below freezing with lowest temperatures of -3C to +1C.
The forecaster said: “A few lingering wintry showers at first in Ulster will die out overnight, become largely dry. Rather calm too with northwest breezes easing light, and back southerly overnight.”
Friday morning is forecast to be bitterly cold and wind will become stronger over the afternoon and will reach near gale force in some coastal areas overnight.
Met Eireann said: “A very cold morning with widespread frost and some ice. Dry with bright weather to start the day, becoming cloudier through the morning.
“Rain will spread from the west through the afternoon, but some eastern areas will stay dry until evening. Becoming increasingly windy from afternoon too, with southerly winds increasing fresh to strong and gusty, with gales developing on Atlantic coasts. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees, coldest in Ulster.
“A wet and windy night [Friday] with widespread outbreaks of rain in strong southerly winds, reaching near gale force in coastal areas. Temperatures increasing overnight to between 6 and 9 degrees. Winds will ease moderate to fresh near dawn.”
Over the weekend there will be unsettled weather with spells of wet, breezy or windy weather but some uncertainty remains in the forecast about possible rain on Sunday.
The forecaster said: “Saturday will be breezy with widespread showers, merging to longer spells of rain at times. Rain may be heavy in places. There will be limited bright spells. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees in fresh and gusty southwest winds.
“Showers will continue overnight with some clear intervals. Showers will gradually ease with dry spells developing especially in eastern areas. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 6 degrees. Fresh southwest winds will moderate overnight.
“Some uncertainty in the forecast for Sunday. There will likely be further scattered showers with some bright or sunny spells. However there is the chance that a spell of rain will move up over Ireland from the south. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees with moderate westerly winds. Any rain will clear on Sunday night to good clear spells and scattered showers. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 4 degrees.”
Monday will bring sunny spells and dry weather and current indications show that it will be mild, wet and breezy heading into midweek next week.
