Met Eireann are forecasting bitterly cold conditions to descend on Ireland this week with a chance of snow in places.
Temperatures are set to dip as low as -3C midweek and overnight snowfall is expected in some parts of the country.
After a mild month in December, weather chiefs are not predicting the same for January.
A Met Eireann forecaster said: "Turning colder through the week with some frosts at night. Dry for most on Tuesday and for daylight hours on Wednesday but rain and showers expected most days afterwards."
Monday night will be the first night where wintry showers will arrive but it won't start to feel any warmer as the week goes on.
The forecaster said: "Showery outbreaks of rain over the country to start will gradually sink further south through the night, with drier and clearer conditions following down from the north.
"The rain may turn to sleet over parts of Munster and south Leinster overnight, falling as snow over higher ground. Colder than previous nights with lowest temperatures of -1 to +2 degrees with frost and mist patches forming in light to moderate northerly winds.
"A predominately dry Tuesday with just well scattered showers, mainly near northern and northwestern coastal areas. Noticeably colder than recent days with highest temperatures of just 3 to 6 degrees but with good spells of sunshine and light to moderate northwesterly winds, but fresher on northern coasts.
"Dry at first with mostly clear skies. Lowest temperatures of -3 to +1 degrees with a widespread sharp frost developing in light to moderate westerly or variable breezes. Cloud will build over parts of the west later in the night, with the chance of some light rain developing in the southwest towards morning."
And it won't be much different right into the weekend, the forecaster adds: "Current indications suggest it will continue unsettled and breezy for Friday and Saturday with rain and showers but with a drier and calmer day in store for Sunday."
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