Ireland is bracing for four or more days of snowfall, plummeting temperatures and icy conditions, as a cold snap sets in from Sunday.
A nationwide weather advisory will come into effect at 6am Sunday as wintry conditions move in from the east to blanket the island, lasting until Wednesday at the earliest.
Met Éireann has predicted that much of Ireland will lie beneath more than five centimetres of snow on Thursday, according to The Irish Times.
By that time, children may be offered the opportunity to sled, build snowmen and have snowball fights, Met Éireann meteorologist Liz Coleman said.
The national forecaster has advised the nation to “walk like a penguin” as temperatures fall below freezing.
The snow cover could persist for several days, while some parts of the country — such as high and mountainous areas — could experience larger accumulations.
Met Éireann is revising previous predictions that milder weather could return to melt snow cover towards the end of the week, with the latest charts indicating snow could lie into the following weekend in some areas.
'Progressively colder'
As it stands, conditions will grow “progressively cold” from early on Sunday, with daytime temperatures struggling to clear away overnight frost or ice as they remain between one to three degrees Celsius.
Snowfall is expected in showers from Sunday onwards, with heavier falls later on Monday and through to Tuesday.
The first half of the week may see just parts of Leinster and Ulster receive a “light dusting” of snowfall, with accumulations of one or two centimetres, though showers may begin to push inland from Tuesday.
There is a “high degree of uncertainty” in the forecast from Wednesday, though it appears that a developing weather system is likely to move up from the south-west and “readily turn to snow” when it meets the cold air over the country.
Weather warnings for hazardous conditions are likely to be issued next week, as forecasts are updated and fine-tuned.
Our weather is expected to turn progressively colder from early on Sunday 7th February, with the cold spell now looking likely to last well into next week.
Read more here in https://t.co/ktXtWjbfIg pic.twitter.com/RsXwjT02xw— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) February 4, 2021
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The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is advising all road users to prepare for the cold snap, with severe frosts and icy patches set to create hazardous conditions on roads and footpaths.
Road users are advised to check local traffic and weather conditions before setting out on any essential journeys.
Drivers are advised to use a screen scraper and de-icer to clear windows and mirrors, and remove all snow from their vehicle before beginning a journey — particularly from the roof as it can fall during braking and obscure the windscreen.
Drivers should avoid over-steering, harsh braking and harsh acceleration. They should use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin, but select a low gear when travelling downhill, especially through bends.
With heavy snow, drivers are urged to use fog lights, turn off their radio and open their window a fraction so they can hear other traffic, particularly at junctions. Dipped headlights should be used at all times.
Safety advice for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists can be found here, while advice on driving in ice or snow is available in the RSA's series of severe weather warning videos created in collaboration with Teresa Mannion.
