A STATUS YELLOW snow and ice warning is in place for the entire country this morning. 

Met Éireann has warned there will be hazardous conditions in places this morning due to compacted snow and ice. 

There are chances of further snow showers today, which will be heaviest in the southwest, west and north. 

The warning kicked in at 10pm last night and will remain in place until midday today. 

A weather advisory for the country also remains in place until 3pm today, as Met Éireann warns of cold and wintry weather. 

Gardaí are this morning reporting icy conditions in many areas of the country, particularly in parts of the west and north west. 

AA Roadwatch is reminding motorists that it can take up to 10 times longer to stop in ice or snow and that it is important to slow down and leave extra space to brake. 

Looking at the general forecast, today is set to see a mix of sunshine and scattered wintry showers. These showers will be frequent over the western half of the country with a risk of hail and thunder there. 

Highest temperatures will range between 4 and 7 degrees. 

Scattered showers are to continue tonight. These showers will consist mainly of rain but will turn wintry in parts of the north, west and on high ground. 

Temperatures will drop to between 0 and 2 degrees in the eastern half of the country early tonight with some frost patches developing. However, temperatures will increase to between 2 to 5 degrees nationwide by tomorrow morning. 

Conditions are set to turn milder from tomorrow onwards with day time highs of 8 to 10 degrees.