Local authorities and emergency services prepare for 'bitterly cold' weather event
A status yellow snow and ice warning has been issued for the provinces of Munster, Leinster and Connacht. File picture: Denis Minihane.
A severe weather coordination group met on Tuesday to review preparations ahead of the cold snap in the coming days.
A status yellow snow and ice warning has been issued for the provinces of Munster, Leinster and Connacht.
Bitterly cold temperatures and snow have been forecast for the week ahead prior to the warning being issued.
The warning comes into effect at 8am on Thursday and will be in place for 24 hours.
Local authorities say extra beds have been made available for rough sleepers while community call staff are in place to assist vulnerable and isolated people.
Fire and Emergency Services are continuing to work with Met Eireann, the OPW and other relevant authorities to monitor the situation.
Met Éireann warned: “A band of sleet and snow spreading northeastwards during Thursday giving snow accumulations of up to 5cm in some areas (higher over the mountains), but transitioning to rain in the west and south on Thursday night.”
Meanwhile, a snow and ice warning is already in place for part of the country with an advisory having also been issued by Met Éireann.
The status yellow snow and ice warning is in place for Louth, Westmeath, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan until 6pm tomorrow.
Met Éireann has warned of snow accumulations of 2 to 5cm in places.
A status yellow snow and ice warning has also been issued for Antrim, Armagh and Down.
The UK Met Office has warned of “snow showers and icy stretches over parts of Northern Ireland leading to some travel disruption”.
The warning comes into effect at 4pm and lasts until 11am tomorrow.
An advisory for all of Ireland is also in place until 6pm on Wednesday.
Met Éireann said that Tuesday and Wednesday “will be very cold with temperatures in low single figures by day and with sharp or severe frosts and icy patches at night".
There will be "showers of sleet or snow at times in eastern counties from Sunday evening onwards.”
The forecaster has also warned of “hazardous conditions on roads and paths”.
Met Éireann has warned that today will be blustery with scattered wintry showers of sleet or snow giving some accumulations in places”.
It said that tonight will be “bitterly cold” with “widespread sharp to severe frost setting in”.
Met Éireann stated that “scattered wintry showers will become mainly confined to the eastern half of the country as long clear spells develop”.
Temperatures are set to plummet to between minus five and zero degrees.
Wednesday will be bright but again, it will “be very cold again with wintry showers of sleet or snow mainly affecting north Leinster, east Ulster and the midlands”.
Temperatures are unlike to rise above three degrees, while on Wednesday night, they will drop to minus four to one degrees.
On Thursday, “sleet and snow will slowly extend northwards from the southwest across much of Munster, Connacht and Leinster, with snow accumulations leading to hazardous conditions,” according to Met Éireann.
Lauren Beehan from AA Roadwatch urged drivers to take care on the roads.
“Remember the road conditions can change very suddenly in a snow or hail shower, so if you’re driving in those situations reduce your speed’, she said.
“Avoid harsh manoeuvres or harsh breaking, but slow down and keep further back from whoever is in front.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
