It remains bitterly cold over much of the country with commuters on the east coast travelling in sub-zero temperatures on Thursday morning.
In parts of the midlands, including Mulingar and Athlone, temperatures were as low as -2 at 8am and not expected to rise above zero until late morning. In Dublin the temperature at 8am was -1 and in Galway it was one degree.
Met Éireann has issued a status yellow ice warning for all counties, until noon today with the Road safety Authority advising road users to consider if their journeys are really necessary.
Roads, particularly in rural areas, are severely impacted by lying ice while snow remains on high ground, particularly in Donegal. Parents have been warned to check if schools are open before making a journey and travellers have been advised to check with local buses before setting out.
Met Éireann has warned of freezing rain, snow and ice in the coming days.
The UK Met Office has warned of very cold conditions with freezing fog, frost and ice with at times, as well as rain, sleet, lying snow and dangerous driving conditions in Northern Ireland.
Met Éireann Forecaster Brandon Creagh said lying snow was likely to remain on the ground in the northwest. He warned of the danger of “freezing rain” which he said was “super cold rain falling on a freezing cold surface and turning to ice immediately”. Freezing rain has severe implications for motorists and other road users.
Later Thursday morning should see outbreaks of rain and sleet in the west and south with isolated wintry showers elsewhere. As the day goes on, however, it will become mostly dry and bright, although some patches of mist and fog may linger as winds stay light and variable.
It will remain cold, with highest temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees.
While it is expected to stay cold with occasional wintry showers, temperatures are expected to increase by the weekend.
Mr Creagh temperatures will dip as low as minus four again on Thursday night, although it will be dry, becoming cloudy overnight with rain or sleet developing across Connacht, Munster and parts of south Leinster.
Patches of mist and fog are likely, in light and variable winds.
On Friday slightly warmer conditions are expected to set in with highest temperatures of three to eight degrees, coldest in Ulster and Connacht, with a light southerly or variable wind.
On Saturday the warmer conditions will continue to spread from the south, with patches of rain and drizzle, and temperatures rising to highs of between seven to 11 degrees, with a moderate southerly breeze.
Saturday night should be much milder than recent nights, with minimum temperatures of seven to nine degrees, with a light to moderate southerly wind. It will be cloudy with rain in most areas, heaviest in the west and southwest.
Sunday is expected to be another mostly cloudy day with scattered outbreaks of rain. Highest temperatures of nine to 12 degrees with light southerly winds. The outlook is for conditions to stay mild and quite cloudy for the early part of next week, with rain at times.
