Public urged to brace for 'exceptional' snow event as storm hits
National expert co-ordination group chair Sean Hogan and weather forecaster Evelyn Cusack urged that the warnings be taken seriously as they dismissed claims the predictions have led to “hysteria” as people panic-buy in preparation for what is to come.
At the second daily briefing of the NECG in Dublin, Mr Hogan said while the snow expected last night and this morning is “normal”, events will change dramatically from late tomorrow afternoon.
The warnings come as at least eight people died on the continent due to freezing temperatures which plummeted to -22c in Poland and -10c in parts of Britain.
Mr Hogan said the public must prepare for the coming days. Describing the coming mixture of the “Beast From The East” Siberian storm with Storm Emma, which is travelling up from the Bay of Biscay, he said tomorrow and Friday will bring “exceptional” snowfalls in Ireland which must be respected.
“We’re dealing with nature here, and there’s a good deal of uncertainty when we’re doing that. Nonetheless, events are unfolding as Met Éireann predicted, with snow showers this evening and an exceptional event forecast for Thursday night.
“There is normal winter weather and that is now [Tuesday night and today], but it’s the one coming on Thursday that is the issue,” he said, adding the panic buying in shops and supermarkets on Monday is not “hysteria”.
Mr Hogan’s comments were supported by Met Éireann weather forecaster Evelyn Cusack, who said the storm will bring “significant” and consistent snowfall, thunderstorms, and 110km gale force winds.
Stressing this is different to normal Irish snowfall as it will be consistent and take days to melt because of the dryer Arctic air descending over Ireland, Ms Cusack said a red weather warning is likely to be issued for the country tomorrow afternoon — only the fifth since colour-coded warnings were introduced in 2013 and the first time it has involved snow.
“In terms of numbers, we’re talking maybe 100km-110km an hour gale force easterly winds. Convective showers will build up [over Tuesday night and this morning] and the risk of some thunderstorms, thunder and lightning is there as well, it will be around for the rest of the week,” she said, adding wind chills will make 1c maximum temperatures feel like -6c.
Meanwhile, while the NECG has said it will wait until its latest update today before giving advice to schools, businesses, transport services and hospitals, a number are already taking decisions.
The HSE said last night it wants to “stress that at a local and national level our services are likely to be impacted” with regular updates on hse.ie/weatherwarning, while the Department of Education may issue directives to schools today.
Oireachtas officials will also decide this afternoon on whether to shut Dáil Éireann tomorrow and Friday, while there is still no firm advice to businesses on whether to ask employees to attend work.
News of the plans here emerged as at least eight people died across Europe yesterday as freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall swept in from the east.
Five died in Poland where temperatures plummeted to -22c, three died in Romania where drivers were stranded by snow drifts, and Dutch authorities banned boats from some of Amsterdam’s freezing canals.
In Britain, temperatures fell to -10c in areas with hundreds of schools shut.
Plea to double fuel allowance
Age Action wants the fuel allowance to be doubled this week to help older people on low incomes to stay warm.
Older people are at a higher risk of cardiovascular and respiratory illness from cold and damp houses and tend to live in older, less energy efficient homes.
Age Action’s head of advocacy and communications, Justin Moran, said many older people have trouble heating their homes at the best of times.
“They can be very nervous about keeping the heat on because they are afraid of rising energy bills,” said Mr Moran.
“The best way to ensure older people aren’t afraid to keep the heat on during this cold weather is to announce a one-off, double payment of the fuel allowance. This would give them the assurance they need that keeping warm isn’t going to mean bills they cannot pay.”
Jim Daly, minister of state for the elderly, said people will be able to apply to the exceptional needs scheme run by the Department of Social Protection for extra funding for fuel.
Mr Daly pleaded on RTÉ radio yesterday with older people to use the scheme and buy that “extra bag of coal or bale of briquettes” and stay warm.
Fianna Fáil’s spokesman on social protection, Willie O’Dea, said there had to be a definitive financial provision so people could be reassured that their costs would be met.
Mr Daly said he wanted to highlight the existence of the exceptional needs scheme that can help with fuel bills but could not give a personal guarantee that people will be entitled to a payment under it.
Warning issued for asthma sufferers
People with asthma should be extra careful during this cold snap to avoid a sudden worsening of their condition.
The Asthma Society of Ireland wants people affected by asthma to be aware of the triggers that cause an asthma attack.
With 470,000 people affected, Ireland has the fourth highest prevalence of asthma worldwide. There are 50,130 asthmatics in Cork alone.
About one person a week dies as a result of asthma, yet 90% of such deaths are preventable.
The society’s advocacy and communications manager, Kevin Kelly, said fluctuating weather conditions, colds, viral infections and flu could bring on an asthma attack.
“It’s important to use a reliever inhaler before going out on cold, windy days and to wrap a scarf around your face to reduce the effect of the cold air,” he said.
People with asthma should take their prescribed medication and have their inhaler with them at all times. It is essential to use a reliever inhaler before going out in freezing, or damp conditions.
Wearing a scarf that covers the nose and mouth on cold, windy days will help warm up the air before breathing it in.
Pharmacists said people should ensure they have an adequate supply of essential medicines before the very cold weather hits.
The president of the Irish Pharmacy Union, Daragh Connolly, said pharmacies will try to stay open during the poor weather, but some might be forced to close.
Closures could come at short notice
Families should get a better idea today or tomorrow whether their children’s schools are likely to be shut because of the weather over the coming days.
Although notification of closures is likely to be issued in any areas covered by status red warnings that might arise, parents have been advised that it could come at relatively short notice.
The Department of Education is represented on the National Emergency Co-ordination Group, which expects far better indications today about the locations and extent of the worst weather overnight Thursday and into Friday.
The co-ordination group told reporters at yesterday’s lunchtime briefing that it was too far out yet to give advice to schools and employers about whether students and staff should stay home over the next two days.
Bus Éireann has said that school transport services are running as normal this week, but would not operate for their normal 116,000 daily passengers if a status red warning issues for the entire country.
Pairic Clerkin, chief executive of the Irish Primary Principals Network, said it has put extra staff on duty to ensure its service that allows schools text parents can facilitate traffic volumes in the event that local decisions are made not to open.
The service handled more than 800,000 messages from schools to parents during Storm Ophelia last October.
The Department of Education ordered the country’s 4,000 schools to shut the day before the arrival of Storm Ophelia, and to stay closed the next day to allow damage checks to be carried out.
Businesses urged to plan ahead
Employers’ organisations are advising companies to have contingency plans in place for staff absences.
Ibec said those plans should put employee safety first and mitigate potential disruption.
Isme said that, as employers have a duty of care for all employees under the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act, a key consideration needs to be whether, in the circumstances, it is safe to ask employees to travel to work, or to undertake their work.
“The potential risk could be greater for certain roles or in certain sectors (eg, ‘on-the-road’ sales positions or in the construction sector where outside work is required,” the representative body for small and medium-sized enterprises said.
“You should ensure you have up-to-date contact information for all employees within the organisation in case a last-minute decision needs to be communicated to staff members. Where your employment contracts allow for a period of ‘lay off’, you may want to put employees on notice that this clause could be invoked at short notice later on in the week.”
The Small Firms Association said businesses may need to examine situations where employees are delayed or have to leave early in order to avail of limited public transport or if weather conditions deteriorate.
Employment solicitor, Richard Grogan, tweeted the following advice: “If employees cannot get to work due to snow or ice this week do they have to be paid? The answer is NO. Should they be? If you want to maintain a good working relationship the answer is YES. Should employees be allowed take holidays this week to avoid lost time? Answer is YES.”
Reckon the numbers of the Beast
Weather warnings are in place across the country and officials are preparing for an extreme cold snap. Here are some of the numbers at a glance:
The expected snowfall in centimetres by this morning
Wind speed of gusts expected to hit easterly and southern areas
The overnight low forecast into Tuesday
The number of people who have died in Europe as a result of plummeting temperatures
The number of extra beds secured by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive for rough sleepers
The number of additional emergency beds for the homeless made available across Cork city over the coming days under the city council’s cold weather strategy.
The amount in tonnes of salt in reserve held by transport authorities
The percentage of all Cork city roads designated for salting
The number of salt-spreading, snow plough vehicles on standby in Cork county
The length, in metres, of the longest stretch of road in Cork county to be salted — from Pedlars Cross to tunnel at the county bounds via Clonakilty, Rosscarbery, Leap, Skibbereen, Ballydehob, Bantry, Ballylickey; Glengarriff
The number of children whose school transport would be cancelled if Status Red warning is issued
The number of litres of water lactating dairy cows drink each day, according to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. Farmers have been advised to have at least a 24-hour stock of water in reserve. in case of burst pipes.
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