Ireland is in for a frosty week with temperatures remaining close to freezing right up to the weekend, according to Met Éireann.

Things look set to stay cold and dry today and tonight with winds set to pick up from Wednesday and Thursday.

Showers of sleet and snow are possible over higher ground in the north and west come the weekend.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Met Éireann forecaster Emer Flood said temperatures will be close to freezing most nights this week.

“At the moment we have high pressure over Ireland and a low pressure verging east over Europe so that is giving a northerly air flow,” she said.

“That allows a very cold air mass to move over Ireland originating from the Arctic giving quite cold but overall dry conditions for the next day or so.

“Things will be turning more unsettled throughout the week but staying pretty cold – staying 2C or 3C below average at the moment with some frosty nights as well.”

She said things will turn windier as the week goes on.

“Tonight will be similar to last night down to -2C over the southern half of the country,” she said. “Cloudier conditions further north are keeping the temperatures a little bit higher there.

“Temperatures will be getting close to freezing for many of the nights this week; however, it will be turning windier from Wednesday and particularly Thursday and heading into the weekend.

“So that will help prevent frost formation and keep things slightly less cold but feeling pretty cold during the daytime with that wind chill.”

Meanwhile a Status Yellow fog warning is in place for Munster until 10am this morning – with dense fog developing in places, leading to hazardous conditions on the roads.