'Hazardous travelling conditions' due as Met Éireann issues another ice warning

The new warning kicks in at 4pm on Thursday and will run until midday on Friday. Picture: Denis Minihane

The national forecaster has issued another status yellow ice warning for the whole country.

The new warning kicks in at 4pm on Thursday and will run until midday on Friday. Met Éireann is warning of hazardous travelling conditions with icy stretches on roads and footpaths.

It comes as temperatures dropped to well below 0C last night. 

Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather says temperatures below -3C were seen in some areas overnight.

"It is down to -3.4C at my own station, and I can see that many areas are down to -2C/-3C again this morning — another very frosty morning across the country.

"There are some areas in the South-West where temperatures are a little bit higher but there's also been some showers which have been a mix of sleet and snow."

Most schools that were forced to close over the last few days, are back open today.

However, Skibbereen Community School has announced a later start time for school on Thursday, with class beginning at 10am.

The school has advised that buses will be running an hour and a half behind normal schedule.

In a post online, management at the school said: "Please exercise caution when travelling to school by car or on foot and consider conditions relevant to your area."

According to Met Éireann, there will be black ice in parts on Thursday, while outbreaks of rain and sleet across the north-west and south-west will clear throughout the day.

The forecaster believes mostly dry weather will follow for the rest of the day, with some sunny spells.

However, it has warned that mist and fog may set in across the South-West later.

Highest temperatures will range from just 1C to 5C.

Tonight will become very cold again, with frost and icy stretches and mist will thicken into  dense freezing fog in places.

Lowest temperatures will see the mercury drop to between -2C and -5C.

Friday will be less cold than recent days, with highest temperatures of 3C to 8C.