Snow and ice warning extended to six counties as whole country braced for plunging temperatures

The warning comes as six counties are under a snow and ice warning this morning.

Met Éireann issued a Status Yellow warning for counties Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Leitrim and Sligo from 7pm last night and Co Mayo was added to this morning. The warning for the six counties has been extended to 11am.

People in that part of the country have been warned of hazardous road conditions and poor visibility.

Meanwhile, the whole country is braced for plunging temperatures with icy conditions forecast by Met Éireann.

7-Day Weather Forecast: 18th November – 24th November 2024

The national forecaster has issued a Status Yellow low temperature and ice warning for the country. The warning will kick in from 8pm tonight and is in place until 10am on Wednesday.

Met Éireann is forecasting “very cold” temperatures as frost and icy stretches are expected to be “widespread”.

Hazardous conditions on roads and paths are anticipated, which could lead to some travel disruption.

Conditions will become significantly colder this week, especially in the northern half of the country, where temperatures are expected to range between 3C and 6C. Elsewhere, it will be between 7C to 12C.

Although the weather will turn cold this week, it will be dry for most of the country.

At Cork Airport, the snow and ice team has activated their preparation plans ahead of the icy conditions.

They will remain on-call throughout the day and night to treat and clear any accumulations of ice or snow.

Niall MacCarthy, Managing Director at Cork Airport added: “Airport activities change in the seasons and whereas in summer, our maintenance colleagues must focus on areas like grass management and campus improvements, over the winter, the focus turns to operational readiness for snow and ice events.”

Meanwhile, Met Éireann meteorologist Brandon Creagh said Ireland has experienced unusually mild weather this month, which has been “a good few degrees above the average for November”.

However, that will change this week as temperatures fall “below the seasonal normal”, according to Mr Creagh.

Today, tomorrow and Thursday will be the coldest nights of the week as overnight temperatures drop to as low as -4C in some places.

This might mark a return of “milder, wetter and windier” weather

Rain, sleet and snow will move southwards this morning and clear to the south during the afternoon, followed by sunny spells and scattered wintry showers in the north.

Mr Creagh said forecast models show low-pressure systems coming in from the west from next weekend onwards. This might mark a return of “milder, wetter and windier” weather, the meteorologist added.

Meanwhile, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is asking road users to prepare for hazardous conditions on roads and footpaths.

It has urged people not to become complacent following the recent mild weather. The change in conditions that have been forecast could lead to more hazardous roads.

The RSA has said drivers should expect less-than-ideal conditions. There is a strong likelihood of reduced visibility in places as fog descends.

Road users are also urged to exercise caution, particularly on road surfaces that are untreated.

Drivers are advised to remove all snow and ice from their vehicles before driving, as well as clearing windows and mirrors.

The RSA has also stated that it is particularly important to watch out for vulnerable road users.

Pedestrians have also been advised to take extra care by wearing appropriate footwear as footpaths with ice could present a safety hazard. During icy spells, emergency wards generally report an increase in injuries due to people losing their footing

Cyclists and motorcyclists are advised not to travel in snowy conditions if possible as visibility is reduced.