Wintery showers of sleet and snow are on the way this week, according to Met Eireann.

Outbreaks of rain early in the week will turn wintery on Wednesday, particularly in the north and west as the bitterly cold and strong northwest airflow sweeps across the country.

The wind and wintery showers will give falls of sleet and snow and Met Eireann say accumulations of several cms of snow are likely in many areas, particularly in the north and west from Wednesday onwards.

The winter showers will become more confined to exposed areas in the northern and western part of the country on Thursday night into Friday. However temperatures will remain low, with highest temperatures of just 4-6 degrees and frost and ice expected.