Met Éireann issues countrywide warnings as snow falls in Cork

A status yellow snow and ice warning for the entire country will come into effect at 3am on Thursday and remain in place until 11pm.

Met Éireann has issued two new status yellow weather warnings for the entire country, following temperatures reaching lows of -9C in the North on Tuesday night.

A status yellow snow and ice warning for the entire country will come into effect at 3am on Thursday and remain in place until 11pm.

The forecaster has warned of travel disruption, poor visibility and hazardous driving conditions, which may arise as a result of the weather.

It said: "Rain, sleet and snow will spread northwards across the country later tonight [Wednesday night] and during Thursday, accompanied by strengthening easterly winds. Accumulations of snow are expected in many areas, along with icy conditions.

"Sleet and snow will likely transition to rain in southern areas for a time."

Met Éireann has also issued a status yellow low temperature and ice warning for the whole country, with "widespread icy stretches" anticipated.

The warning will come into effect at 9pm on Thursday and remain until 10am on Friday.

"Thursday morning will be very cold, with rain sleet and snow spreading northeastwards to all areas, with poor visibility and very hazardous driving conditions," the forecaster has warned.

The forecaster has warned these temperatures will lead to "accumulations of snow", followed by "icy conditions".

It comes as the UK Met Office recorded temperatures of -9C on Tuesday night in Castlederg, Co Tyrone, making it the coldest March night there since 2010's big freeze.

A status yellow snow warning has been issued for all of Northern Ireland from 7am on Thursday until 2pm Friday. The UK Met Office said heavy snow "has the potential to cause disruption".

Meanwhile, Met Éireann said temperatures on Wednesday night will drop to lows of -2C, while on Thursday, daytime temperatures of between 0C to 5C can be expected, with "fresh, easterly winds". 

Friday promises a clear, dry day with a hint of "sunny spells", the forecaster said.

"Later in the night, rain, sleet and snow will spread northeastwards over Munster and south Leinster," Met Éireann has warned.

Friday night will bring lowest temperatures of -4C to 1C, becoming coldest in the north.

Met Éireann added that "rain, sleet and snow will gradually clear to the northeast" on Saturday.

It comes as snow was reported in many parts of the country on Wednesday morning, with parts of Cork particularly impacted.

Snow was reported as far apart as Inishowen in Co Donegal and Watergrasshill in Co Cork.

The snow and the thaw Inishowen Co Donegal #sneachta pic.twitter.com/aZvdBcIW1e

— Twig & Heather (@FortCottage) January 19, 2023

 

❄️ Some snow fell in Watergrassshill in Cork overnight! ❄️ #snow #ireland #cork #watergrasshill #snowalerts #sneachta pic.twitter.com/kSQwTwndIe

— Weather Alerts Ireland ⚡️☔️ (@IrelandAlerts) March 8, 2023

Alan O'Reilly of Carlow Weather said that the latest weather model highlights a possibility of snow throughout the country.

"Regardless of whether it is rain, sleet or snow that falls tomorrow [Thursday] the Met Éireann ensembles show over 20mm for some areas between tomorrow night and Friday morning with over 30mm on higher ground," Mr O' Reilly added.