Motorists urged to take care amid icy conditions

Motorists are being warned to take extreme care as icy weather is set to spread across the country over the weekend.

The Road Safety Authority is warning drivers to check their local weather forecast before making any journeys.

RSA chief executive Noel Brett said the changeable weather being forecast over the coming days would present some very challenging road conditions for motorists.

“As visibility is greatly reduced while travelling in heavy rain or sleet and snow, remember to use your dipped headlights, keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front and allow a greater braking distance,” he said.

With gale-force winds, rain, sleet, and hail expe-cted over the weekend, Irish Rail said it was monitoring parts of its network that were at risk from flooding.

Temperatures are expected to plummet over the weekend with highest daytime temperatures ranging from one to six degrees.

Met Éireann said it would be very cold today with showery outbreaks of rain, sleet or snow across the country.

Tomorrow will be bright and mostly dry but it will be very cold.

Met Éireann weather forecaster Joan Blackburn said there were indications that any showers tomorrow could be quite wintry and it is going to be very cold for the first few days of next week, with the risk of snow continuing.

“We are really in the heart of winter at this time of year,” she said.

*www.met.ie