Met Eireann is forecasting significant snowfall this week with warnings expected to be issued in the coming hours.
And the national forecaster has released radar images of where they expect the snow to fall in the week ahead.
Met Eireann forecaster Matthew Martin said: "A cold easterly air-flow has now become established over Ireland and over the next few days the risk of snow showers will increase with eastern counties at greatest risk.
"The risk of snow accumulations will increase tonight (Monday night), through tomorrow (Tuesday) and for a time on Wednesday before the main focus for snowfall risk turns to the attempted frontal breakdown from the Atlantic on Thursday and Friday."
Where will it snow Monday to Wednesday?
The following image shows where Met Eireann are expecting snow on both Monday evening/night and Tuesday.
The next image shows what snowfall is expected at Wednesday midnight and then at midday.
Why some areas will see major snowfall and others will see none
A Met Eireann forecaster explained: "The risk of wintry showers over the next few days will be driven by what is termed the ‘sea-effect’. Similar to lake-effect snowfall that is common place in North America during winter, sea-effect snow is a term used to describe the mechanism by which showers develop over the sea during winter.
"Sea/Lake effect snow occurs when cold polar or arctic air flows over relatively warm water, generating convective bands of showers downwind from the body of water. These shower bands can at times become quite narrow and intense giving significant falls of snow in very localised areas whilst some adjacent areas receive very little snowfall.
"Convective snow showers or bands are enhanced by lift due to frictional convergence and orography over the leeward shore and other factors such as wind fetch play a critical role in determining the intensity and extent of the sea-effect snow showers or bands. In Ireland, the Irish Sea is often the origin for many of our wintry showers during an easterly or north-easterly air-flow, however, they can also form in northern sea areas and in the Celtic Sea."
Snow on Thursday and Friday
The country could be in for significant snowfall on Thursday as a band of rain moves in from the Atlantic.
A Met Eireann forecaster said: "On Thursday, frontal rain-bands in the Atlantic are forecast to move towards Ireland and as they encounter the cold air in situ over Ireland further snowfall is predicted.
"However, there is some uncertainty as to how far these frontal bands track north-eastwards over Ireland as high pressure over Scandinavia is dominating and acting to weaken these fronts as they move into the cold air.
"However, current projections indicate a spell of sleet and snow spreading north-eastwards over Ireland on Thursday and into Friday bringing accumulations of snow to many areas. However, the snow may transition to rain in some southern and western parts as milder air attempts to move in from the Atlantic."
