LAST UPDATE | 18 Nov 2024

A LOW TEMPERATURE and ice warning will be in place across the country tomorrow.

As of 7pm this evening, the northern half of the country is under a Status Yellow alert for snow and ice, with a similar warning issued by the UK Met Office across Northern Ireland.

The Met Éireann alert for counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo is in place until 8am tomorrow, with snowfall accumulations possible this evening and overnight and possible impacts including poor visibility and difficult travelling conditions.

The UK Met Office alert across Northern Ireland meanwhile is in place from 3pm until 10am tomorrow.

Tomorrow evening, all of the Republic will be under a Status Yellow low temperature and ice warning from 8pm Tuesday until 10am Wednesday.

There is a further nation-wide Status Yellow low temperature and ice warning in place from 8pm on Wednesday to 10am on Thursday.

⚠️Yellow Low Temp/Ice Warning⚠️for Ireland

➡️Very cold with widespread frost & icy stretches🥶

❗️Possible impacts:
➡️Hazardous conditions on roads & paths
➡️Some travel disruption

In effect from 20:00 Tue 19/11/24 until 10:00 Wed 20/11/24

Stay updatedhttps://t.co/lvQFgW8DsS pic.twitter.com/gpM2JI4mOq

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) November 18, 2024

It follows a weather advisory put out by Met Éireann last week which warned people are in for “quite a shock” this week as temperatures plummet from the relatively mild weather seen so far in November.

The forecaster added that the northern half of the country can expect some sleet and snow this week during the first “cold snap” of the season.

Local councils and the Road Safety Authority have issued warnings to road users to exercise caution while travelling after Met Éireann issued the warnings.

Road users warned

Cavan County Council has advised that its crews will be on standby to salt the roads in the case of ice, but that road users are advised “that rain and sleet in particular can wash away the salt, limiting its effectiveness.”

“Extreme caution should be exercised at *all* times on *all* roads, regardless of whether they’ve been treated, and all motorists should reduce speed accordingly,” the council posted on X.

Extreme caution should be exercised at *all* times on *all* roads, regardless of whether they've been treated, and all motorists should reduce speed accordingly. 3/3https://t.co/daz5CZwId5 pic.twitter.com/rATjbqqwTs

— Cavan County Council (@cavancoco) November 18, 2024

Monaghan County Council has also advised people to exercise caution.

The RSA highlighted the warning from Met Éireann, and said on X that possible impacts could include poor visibility and difficult travelling conditions.

The authority said the public should “prepare for hazardous conditions on roads and footpaths”.

The RSA has advised rivers to “remove all snow and Ice from your vehicle before commencing your journey”.

“Snow left on the roof will become loose and can drop onto the windscreen during braking, thereby causing sudden and severe restriction to your vision. It can also fall off during your drive and cause injury to pedestrians or a reflex action by another driver.”

The RSA also said drivers should clear windows and mirrors before setting out.

“Do not use hot water on the windscreen as it can crack the glass,” the RSA said.

In terms of driving itself the RSA said:

“Slow down, use all controls delicately and leave extra distance between you and the vehicle in front. Avoid over steering and harsh braking and harsh acceleration. Use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin. Select a low gear when travelling downhill especially if through bends.”

High sided vehicles like trucks and buses are particularly at risk, the RSA said.

Other RSA advice includes:

• Do not drive on the tail-lights of the vehicle in front (Target Fixing). This can give a false sense of security and you will be too close to be able to brake safely.
• Use dipped headlights at all times, and fog lights in heavy snow to ensure you are seen by other motorists (but don’t forget to turn them off afterwards).
• Watch out for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, people who cycle and ride motorcycles and allow extra space.
• Check tyres and replace them if the tread depth falls below 3mm. Check they’re inflated to the correct tyre pressure.
• Familiarise yourself with any safety assist technology like Electronic Stability Control (ESC) or Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) in your vehicle.

General weather 

Meanwhile, it will be a cold, wet day today across much of the country as temperatures drop significantly.

According to Met Éireann, rain in Munster and Connacht will today spread northwards and become widespread later this afternoon.

The rain will turn heavy at times, and may fall as sleet or snow in parts of Ulster and north Connacht later this evening.

There will be highs of three to six degrees over the north of the country, with higher temperatures of seven to 12 degrees elsewhere, in light to moderate breezes.

Tonight will see further spells of rain, with some snow accumulations possible in Ulster and north Connacht, especially in hilly areas.

It will become drier by morning, with some frost and ice developing.

Temperatures will drop further to between -1 and +5 degrees. 

Tomorrow will be cold again, with falls of rain, sleet and snow clearing south during the afternoon.

The rest of the day will be a mixture of showers and sunny spells, with highest temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees generally and from 5 to 8 in Munster, while the rest of the week will remain cold with frost and ice forming in many places. 

- With additional reporting from Diarmuid Pepper