A STATUS YELLOW fog warning for 12 counties in the east of the country remains in place this morning.

Met Éireann issued the warning for Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Offaly, Longford, Louth, Meath, Laois, Westmeath, Wexford, and Wicklow yesterday.

The alert is valid until 10am this morning, with the forecaster warning of a risk of dense fog in the Leinster region.

AA Roadwatch is warning motorists in Kildare, Laois and Meath in particular to drive carefully this morning.

More generally, there will be a cold start across the country today with some frost and areas of mist and fog.

As Thursday develops, it will be a mostly dry day with sunny spells and some isolated showers. However, fog may linger in some areas this morning.

Highest temperatures today will be between 6 and 9 degrees Celsius.

It will be cold and frosty in many areas tonight as fog returns in parts, although it will be less cold across west Ulster and north Connacht with increasing amounts of cloud and patchy rain.

Minimum temperatures tonight will be between minus 2 to plus 3 degrees Celsius, but less cold in the northwest.