WINTER WEATHER HAS arrived in Ireland with low temperatures and snow hitting parts of the country today.

It’s set to be a cold and blustery day across the country with some sleet and snow falling on high ground in Ulster and Connacht this morning.

According to Met Éireann, the rest of the country will see sunny intervals and showers, which will be frequent and heavy in the north and west, although the east and southeast will stay mainly dry.

There will be some hail and a risk of thunder in some parts of the country, with maximum temperatures reaching between 5 and 9 degrees Celsius.

Tonight will be dry and clear in most areas, although some scattered showers will occur along northern and eastern coasts.

It’s also expected to be very cold, with widespread frost and minimum temperatures of -2 to 2 degrees Celsius.

Sunday is expected to be a little bit warmer, with Met Éireann forecasting a mostly dry day with sunshine and maximum temperatures of between 7 and 10 degrees.