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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Sophie Collins

Met Eireann issues new nationwide severe weather warnings as we brace for widespread snow and ice

Met Eireann has published a slew of new weather warnings for counties across Ireland over the coming days as lashings of snow, sleet, and rain are forecast.

Temperatures will drop as low as -4C in some areas, and weather experts are predicting widespread disruption as a result.

Carlow Weather’s Alan O’Reilly took to social media to issue a grim update which read: “Regardless of whether it is rain, sleet or snow that falls tomorrow the Met Éireann ensembles show over 20mm for some areas between tomorrow night and Friday morning with over 30mm on higher ground”.

READ MORE: Ireland weather: Low system to bring 'snow to more areas' amid 19-county warning and -4C drop

A Met Eireann Status Yellow snow and ice warning has been issued for all of Ireland with “rain, sleet, and snow spreading 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 bringing the following possible Impacts:

  • Hazardous driving conditions
  • Travel disruption
  • Poor Visibility

This warning will be valid from 3am Thursday, March 9 until 11pm on the same day.

A separate Status Yellow low temperature and ice warning will be in place for all of Ireland with widespread icy stretches expected on Thursday night and Friday morning.

The Irish forecasters are warning of:

  • Hazardous driving conditions
  • Travel disruption

The alert will be in effect from 21:00 on Thursday, March 9 until 10:00 on Friday, March 10.

There is a third status yellow snow and ice warning for Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan as Met Eireann warns of “sleet and snow slowly clearing eastwards on Thursday night and early on Friday with further accumulations of snow expected”.

Possible Impacts:

  • Hazardous driving conditions
  • Travel disruption
  • Poor Visibility

This will be active from 11pm on Thursday, March 9 until 7am on Friday, March 10.

The Met Office has separate warnings in place for northern counties where heavy snowfall is expected along with similar disruptions. You can read more about this by clicking here.

As for Met Eireann’s forecast for the rest of the week:

Thursday

Thursday morning will be very cold with rain sleet and snow spreading northeastwards to all areas with poor visibility and very hazardous driving conditions.

In the afternoon, sleet and snow will continue over Ulster, Connacht and north Leinster, but will turn mainly to rain and sleet further south. Temperatures of 0 to 5 degrees with fresh, easterly winds.

Thursday night will be cold with falls of sleet and snow in many areas. The sleet and snow will continue overnight over the eastern half of the country.

It will become drier further west with frost and ice developing. Lowest temperatures of -4 to 0 degrees coldest in the northwest, with northerly winds easing light to moderate.

Friday

On Friday morning, rain, sleet and snow in the east will clear to give a cold, mainly dry day with sunny spells. Highest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees in mostly light northeasterly breezes.

Friday night will be cold with severe frost and icy conditions developing. It will start off dry. However, later in the night, rain, sleet and snow wil spread northeastwards over Munster and south Leinster. Lowest temperatures of minus 4 to plus 1 degrees generally, coldest in the north.

Weekend

On Saturday morning, rain, sleet, and snow will spread to all areas and will transition mainly to rain and sleet as milder air follows.

But it may continue to fall as sleet and snow in Ulster, where temperatures will stay down at between 1 and 4 degrees. It will be milder to the south and west with temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees.

On Saturday night, rain, sleet, and snow will gradually clear to the northeast. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees.

Sunday will be a mild and wet day as a band of rain spreads across the country. Highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees with moderate to fresh southerly winds.

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