WATCH: Storm Jorge brings heavy snow to Slieve Blooms

AS STORM JORGE grips Offaly the Slieve Bloom mountains are a wonderland of snow and ice.

The Slieve Bloom mountains, which are some of the oldest mountains in Europe and steeped in Irish mythology, are waterlogged in many areas and set to receive more heavy rain and winter showers this week.

Storm Jorge brings stormy conditions across the country today with a band of heavy rain pushing eastwards, turning to sleet or snow in places, especially through the midlands and north for a time, before turning back to rain later.

Met Eireann are forecasting sleet and snow in combination with strong winds which will make driving conditions extremely hazardous across the midlands with a risk of hail and thunder.

Extremely windy in all areas, with very strong southwest winds, veering westerly and strengthening further through the afternoon, with severe and damaging gusts and quite cold, with afternoon highs of just 5 to 7 degrees Celsius.

Tonight
The last of the rain will clear the north coast early tonight, with scattered showers following. The showers will be most frequent over the western half of the country and some will be wintry over high ground. Lows of 0 to +3 degrees, with frost and icy patches. Strong westerly winds at first tonight with gales on coasts and strong gales on northern coasts. Winds decreasing gradually later tonight.

Tomorrow
A cold, breezy, bright start tomorrow, with any frost clearing. A mix of sunny spells and showers with some of the showers wintry over high ground. There will also be with a risk of hail and thunder. The showers most frequent in the western half of the country during the morning, spreading to all areas through the afternoon. Afternoon maximums only 5 to 7 degrees, in brisk westerly winds, strong on coasts.