Met Eireann has once again updated its warnings as ‘severe’ frost and ice affects much of the country.
This afternoon, the Irish forecaster warned of “extremely cold weather on Wednesday night with widespread temperatures below -5 degrees leading to severe frost and ice.”
This status orange alert will remain in place until 12pm on Thursday in Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Cavan, Monaghan, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway, Leitrim, and Roscommon.
READ MORE: Urgent warning over water safety amid -8C temperatures and frozen waters
Tonight will be another very cold night but it will become generally dry and clear. There is a chance of an isolated wintry shower near the northwest coasts.
Widespread frost and some ice patches will once again develop with lowest temperatures of -5 to -1 degrees.
It will be generally cold, dry, and sunny on Wednesday, but there is the chance of a few isolated wintry showers in the northwest. Highest temperatures of 1 to 4 degrees are expected but it will turn bitterly cold in the evening time.
Wednesday night will be a very cold night with lowest temperatures of -8 to -1 degrees, or locally lower, with widespread severe frost and icy stretches developing.
It will remain generally clear and dry in a light northerly breeze, though there will be isolated wintry showers in the north and northwest.
Thursday will be dry for most with plenty of sunshine but there will be a few showers of rain and sleet in the north and northwest. Daytime temperatures of 2 to 5 degrees are expected in a light northwesterly breeze.
Thursday night will then see a few more wintry showers in the northwest but otherwise, it will remain dry. Patches of freezing fog may develop with lowest temperatures of -7 to -2 degrees in a light westerly or variable breeze and widespread frost and icy conditions will persist.
Despite this, weather expert Alan O’Reilly warns that people living in Birr should expect temperatures to plummet as far as -11C.
“Latest update of HARMONIE model from Met Éireann shows -11c forecast for Thursday morning near Birr,” he wrote on Twitter.
Friday will be dry and bright across much of the country but showers of rain and sleet will move into western areas through the day. It will still be very cold with afternoon temperatures no higher than 1 to 4 degrees in light to moderate southwest winds.
Friday night will be very cold with some lingering showers of rain and sleet in western areas. Elsewhere things will stay dry but there is the chance of an isolated shower in the south with lowest temperatures of -3 to +2 degrees.
Saturday is due to be dry and bright, apart from isolated coastal showers in the south and west. Turning cloudier after nightfall. Daytime temperatures of 2 to 7 degrees.
As for beyond this point, Met Eireann says: “There is a good deal of uncertainty in the forecast from Sunday onwards. Current indications suggest that it will turn more unsettled and milder with spells of rain at times.”
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