Motorists warned as big freeze to last till Christmas

WITH temperatures plummeting to -5C last night motorists were today being advised to exercise extreme care while driving and not to make any non-essential trips.

Snow, ice and black ice will again make many roads extremely slippery across the country and the treacherous conditions and freezing weather are expected to continue right up to Christmas Day. At its coldest, the temperature could drop as low as -9C.

However, on Christmas Day itself the dry, freezing weather is expected to be replaced by milder, wetter conditions.

Met Eireann said today’s top temperatures will be only 1C-5C at best and hail, sleet or snow showers are expected in Connacht and Ulster, and parts of west Munster. The frost and fog will clear very slowly, if at all. Some will persist in sheltered areas.

Yesterday the freezing conditions brought travel chaos on almost every means of transport with the exception of rail.

With at least 30 routes closed for pupils, schools were forced to close. Dozens of second-level and primary schools around Kerry were expected to stay shut today. The Connor Pass in the Dingle Peninsula remained closed last night.

In Limerick, most of the city’s 26-vehicle fleet was grounded until mid morning. Worst hit were services to Southill, Ballynanty and Shannon banks which were all cancelled. Services to Raheen and UL were reduced. Most of the school transport fleet did not operate due to the condition of country roads.

Numerous flights out of all of the country’s airports were either delayed or cancelled both due to the conditions here and at the flight destinations.

Aer Lingus was forced to cancel an early-morning flight to Malaga because of weather conditions in Dublin, while its Madrid service was also axed due to snow in the Spanish capital.

The Road Safety Authority was forced to put people due to do their driving tests over the next few days on alert that their appointment may have to be cancelled due to the unsafe conditions.

Cavan was hit by the heaviest snowfalls with seven inches lying in some places, while road temperatures fell to almost -5C in parts of Munster and south Leinster. In Co Wicklow, a number of cars were stranded as the Sally Gap became impassable.

Nicola Hudson, AA Roadwatch controller, said driving conditions were treacherous right across the country.

“Many national roads were treated, however a lot of secondary roads remain frozen since Sunday and very few routes have gone above freezing,” she said.