The Daily Star Ireland
Ireland is bracing for a significant weather event, with a Status Orange warning for snow and ice issued across six counties, bringing the likelihood of heavy snowfall and hazardous conditions.
The alert will be active from 5 PM on Saturday until 5 PM on Sunday in Carlow, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick, and Tipperary. Met Éireann has cautioned that this could lead to severe travel difficulties, disruptions to public transport services, risks to animal welfare, and slippery conditions for pedestrians.
Additionally, a Status Yellow warning for rain and snow has been issued for Cork and Kerry, beginning at 1 PM on Saturday and lasting until Sunday evening. Heavy rainfall is expected to transition into sleet and snow, potentially causing dangerous road conditions, poor visibility, travel delays, and localized flooding.
A broader Status Yellow warning for snow and ice will also be in place for Leinster, Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, and Connacht from Saturday evening through Sunday. Meanwhile, the UK Met Office has issued a Yellow ice warning for Antrim, Down, Tyrone, and Derry, effective from Friday afternoon until Saturday morning, warning of hazardous icy surfaces that could impact travel.
Forecasters expect accumulations of sleet and snow, which could contribute to significant disruptions across affected areas.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Met Éireann senior forecaster Gerry Murphy confirmed that freezing conditions will persist, with temperatures dropping as low as -4°C overnight. While milder air is set to arrive from the southwest on Saturday, its collision with the existing cold air mass will result in widespread sleet and snow from Saturday night into Sunday.
Murphy noted that as forecasting data becomes more precise, updated warnings on snowfall accumulation will be issued over the coming days. The potential for school closures remains uncertain and will only become clearer as the situation unfolds.
By Sunday, conditions will gradually improve, though temperatures will stay low. A sharp frost is expected on Monday morning, possibly leading to lingering snow cover combined with severe freezing temperatures. The prolonged cold spell could affect school openings, but further assessments will be made over the weekend.
Next week, temperatures will remain low, slowing the melting process of any accumulated snow. Murphy indicated that after the initial snowfall, Ireland will experience cold, frosty weather throughout much of the week.
Met Éireann forecaster Deirdre Lowe has warned that snowfall could be particularly heavy in the midlands, as well as in inland parts of Munster and south Leinster. Some areas, especially higher ground, could see up to 10 cm of snow, which will be slow to melt. The expected conditions may lead to travel chaos and hazardous road conditions.
The return of an Arctic air mass next week will bring crisp winter sunshine but also the possibility of further hail, sleet, and snow showers, particularly in the north and west of the country by Monday. Lowe emphasized that nighttime temperatures will drop significantly, especially in areas covered by snow, with warnings likely to be issued for extreme cold.
She predicted that early next week, temperatures could plummet as low as -7°C or even -8°C, making for bitterly cold conditions. While some regions may see only sleet, a substantial portion of the country is likely to experience snowfall.
By Friday and Saturday of next week, conditions are expected to improve gradually, though the recovery will be slow.
The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) is closely monitoring the evolving situation alongside Met Éireann in preparation for potential disruptions over the weekend.
