Like creamy pints of Guinness waiting to be drank, snowy winter feed for animals waits in a field in Crubany, Cavan. Photo: Lorraine Teevan

Mix of sunny spells and wintry showers today

Weather update from Met Éireann

Motorists are being warned of icy stretches leading to hazardous travelling conditions especially on untreated roads and paths.

A Status Yellow - Low Temperature/Ice warning for Ireland remains in place until noon today.

The national weather forecaster says there will be wintry showers in the northwest and southwest. Accumulations of snow possible, especially in mountainous areas, leading to disruption.

The latest weather bulletin, meanwhile, says today will be chilly with a mix of sunny spells and wintry showers, falling as snow in places. Some of the showers may also produce thunder and hail, especially in the afternoon and evening. The driest and brightest conditions will occur in Leinster. Highest temperatures of 2 to 5 degrees. Light northwesterly breezes, gradually freshening.

Cold tonight with frost and icy stretches developing in many areas. Scattered wintry showers will continue, most frequent in the north and west, with a further chance of thunder and hail. Lowest temperatures of -3 to +1 degrees in mainly light to moderate westerly winds, breezy along Atlantic coasts.

Tomorrow again will bring a mix of sunny spells and scattered wintry showers, most frequent early in the day. Highest temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees in moderate to fresh northwesterly winds.

Wednesday night will be very cold with a widespread severe frost and icy stretches, Lowest temperatures of -5 to -2 degrees.

Becoming milder from Thursday onwards with spells of rain at times.

Thursday will continue very cold with frost and ice lingering in some areas for much of the day. Cloudier conditions will develop in the west and southwest with outbreaks of rain and sleet developing at times. Highest afternoon temperatures of 1 to 6 degrees, coldest in Ulster. On Thursday night, rain will spread eastwards across Ireland, falling as sleet or snow in places for a time. Temperatures will fall below zero in Ulster early in the night, but will gradually increase overnight.

Friday will be a much milder and mostly cloudy day with outbreaks of rain and drizzle. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees with moderate west to southwest breezes.

The outlook for next weekend is for mild, mostly cloudy and unsettled weather with spells of rain at times. Day time temperatures will range from about 9 to 12 degrees with moderate to fresh southwest winds. The nights will be frost-free.