Winter days are here to stay

CROWDED HOUSE sang about it and yesterday the country was subjected to it - the vagaries of the Irish climate and four seasons in one day.

Heavy rain, hail, lightning storms, sleet and snow, even the odd ray of sunshine, we had them all, depending on what corner of the island you were in.

After months of moderate temperatures, the winter cold finally arrived and according to the weathermen, it's here to stay.

Bank holiday revellers can expect the cool snap to run through the weekend, with the cold comfort that at least the rain is likely to stay at bay.

Yesterday Aer Rianta had to close Dublin Airport for almost two hours to clear sleet and hail from the runways and hundreds of passengers were unable to step off grounded planes.

Stormy conditions also prevented aircraft from refuelling, delaying flights by up to three hours last night.

Traffic was also hit by flooding in and around Dublin with some motorists forced to sit in a five-mile tailback during rush hour.

"Flooding caused major problems for motorists in Leinster yesterday morning," said Emma Caulfield, of AA Roadwatch.

The worst affected areas were Louth, Meath, Wicklow, Kildare an Dublin.

Today will be cold again but dry and bright in most parts of the country.

Expect scattered showers in the east and south. The highest temperatures will only reach seven to 10 degrees C.

Tomorrow will also be a bright cold day with a bit of sun mixed with showers, according to Met Éireann.

There will be more frost on Saturday night and temperatures will not rise very much throughout the weekend. Weathermen are forecasting dry weather with a mix of showers.

Meanwhile, the National Safety Council (NSC) launched its Bank Holiday road safety campaign yesterday.

The initiative aims to raise awareness of the dangers of drink driving.

The Arrive Alive campaign is mainly focused on the 18 to 35 age group but has relevance for all drivers, NSC chief executive Pat Costello said.

"Even one drink will affect your driving ability as alcohol can impair the function of the brain at half the legal limit drivers are twice as likely to be involved in a collision and at the legal limit drivers are six times more likely to have a collision," Mr Costello said.