Met Éireann is briefing local authorities today on a potential "significant snow event" next week.
A cold front from Siberia will move in from the east and meet with a low-pressure system likely resulting in snow.
The front, which is already over Scandanavia, is currently responsible for temperatures as low as -22 degrees Celcius.
Closer to home temperatures are set to drop from this weekend and could reach as low as -7 degrees including windchill as early as Monday.
Carlow Weather's Alan O'Reilly said that while next week will be cold, it's still too far out to gauge snowfall accumulations: "Test weather models continue to the uncertainty beyond Wednesday with GFS continuing to bring the milder air back in on Thursday but ECM delays it further. Cold with snow showers in East early next week but beyond that very uncertain!"
Our weather is expected to turn progressively colder from early on Sunday 7th February, with the cold spell now looking likely to last well into next week.
Read more here in https://t.co/ktXtWjbfIg pic.twitter.com/RsXwjT02xw— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) February 4, 2021
This weather set-up was also responsible for the Beast from the East in 2018 which saw large accumulations of snow blanketing much of the country.
Speaking to The Irish Times, Met Éireann forecaster Gerry Murphy said the cold weather is expected to set in on Sunday and last until Wednesday.
"As the cold weather persists, each day and each night will be colder. The showers will become wintery. A fair few of those are likely to be of snow from Sunday into Wednesday," he said.
Icy conditions are also expected for the west of the country but snow is unlikely.
