A new nationwide warning for severe frost and ice will come into force this evening as Ireland's cold snap is set to continue into Friday.
Much of the country endured temperatures below freezing overnight, with preliminary data from Met Éireann indicating the mercury fell to as low as -7 degrees Celsius in Athenry, Co Galway.
The forecaster issued a new warning for very cold conditions across the island on Thursday evening and Friday morning.
Severe frost and icy stretches could lead to difficult travelling conditions, Met Éireann said.
⚠️Yellow Low Temps /Ice Warning⚠️
Very cold with severe frost and icy stretches🥶
Impacts:
🚗Difficult travelling conditions
🧑🤝🧑Low temperature issues for vulnerable people
🫏Animal welfare issues
Valid: 17:00 Thu 18/01/24 to 11:00 Fri 19/01/24
Moreℹ️➡️https://t.co/ZsjQsKCXDy pic.twitter.com/fRHulSTH15— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) January 18, 2024
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A separate alert for Co Donegal warns of further snow showers leading to some travel and service disruption until 6am on Friday.
A status-yellow snow and ice warning from the UK Met Office is also in place for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry for all of Thursday. It said frequent heavy snow showers would “continue to push inland, likely disrupting travel across the region”.
A similar warning for ice will be in place for the North until 10am on Friday.
⚠️ Yellow weather warning issued ⚠️
Ice across Northern Ireland
Friday 0000 – 1000
Latest info 👉 https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs
Stay #WeatherAware⚠️ pic.twitter.com/AefIKicywu— Met Office (@metoffice) January 17, 2024
It will remain dry and sunny for much of the country on Thursday, but scattered showers of rain, sleet and snow in the northwest will spread across Ulster and north Connacht through the afternoon and evening.
Temperatures are expected to remain below 5 degrees for the day due to cold Arctic air, and it will dip to as low as -5 degrees overnight.
However, Met Éireann said that the cold conditions will begin to change from Friday with an increase in cloud cover causing temperatures to rise to between 4 to 7 degrees.
