Warning for motorists as winter delivers first snowfall

WHITE Christmas may still have been playing in their heads, but it was snow that concerned many motorists heading back to work after the festive break yesterday

The first white stuff of the winter fell as sleet in parts of Leinster and the Midlands yesterday morning and turned to showers of snow in many places as the day progressed. Met Éireann was forecasting further scattered showers throughout last night, ranging from light dustings to deep falls with up to two inches predicted in places and temperatures low enough to prevent any immediate thaw.

The forecast applied to high ground right across the country but a general warning was issued to Counties Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Roscommon, Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim, Longford, Westmeath, Meath, Louth, Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Offaly and Laois.

Temperatures rarely made it above four degrees throughout yesterday and were expected to fall to minus two last night, prompting warnings to motorists planning long journeys for their return to work to get on the road early.

The AA warned of black ice in Offaly, Longford, Roscommon and Louth and conditions along the N17 in Sligo were reported to be treacherous. Gardaí warned against uneccessary travel and advised motorists to stay off back roads where they could not be certain gritting had been carried out.

In other counties, rain showers and sharp northerly winds combined to make it one of the coldest days of the winter so far and the cold spell is set to continue for at least another 24 hours.

Tonight is expected to be very frosty with icy roads making driving hazardous and temperatures falling possibly as low as minus four. More snow is possible, but rain and hail are more likely.

A brief reprieve from the instense cold is expected by late tomorrow and on New Year’s Eve, but heavy rain and strong north-westerly winds will make conditions difficult. New Year’s Day is expected to be cold with showers.