ALERT: Met Éireann's five-day Irish weather forecast has some chilling predictions

THURSDAY: Another very cold day with frost, ice and fog slow to clear, and lingering in some spots through the day.

A dry and sunny day for much of the country but scattered showers of rain, sleet and snow in the northwest will spread across Ulster and north Connacht through the afternoon and evening.

Temperatures of just 1 to 5 degrees in a light northwest breeze.

The cold spell over Ireland will continue through Thursday night and Friday with frost and ice in many areas.

Over the weekend, it will become milder with wet and windy weather at times.

THURSDAY NIGHT: will be largely dry and clear with just isolated showers near western and northern coasts.

It will be very cold with widespread sharp to severe frost with icy stretches and patches of fog or freezing fog.

Lowest temperatures of -5 and -2 degrees with light southwest or variable breezes.

FRIDAY: will start off cold and bright with widespread frost and icy stretches. Cloud will increase from the west through the afternoon and evening.

Not quite as cold as previous days with afternoon highs of 2 to 6 degrees. Light southerly breezes will gradually freshen.

FRIDAY NIGHT: will be mostly cloudy with rain developing in the west and spreading eastwards overnight. It will start off cold, but temperatures will rise to between 5 and 9 degrees overnight.

SATURDAY: will be mostly cloudy with spells of rain through the morning followed by showers later. Noticeably milder and breezier than previous days with afternoon temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees and fresh southerly winds.

SATURDAY NIGHT: will be mainly dry with lowest temperatures of 2 to 5 degrees. Southerly winds will strengthen overnight.

SUNDAY: will be very windy with spells of heavy rain and very strong, gusty southerly winds, becoming westerly later as rain clears to showers.

Highest temperatures of 9 to 11 degrees.

The early days of next week will continue unsettled with wet and windy weather at times.