Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
Brrr

It’s back: snow to return across Ireland tonight

Munster and south Leinster will see the return of the dreaded white stuff, after overnight temperatures dropped to -6.8°C.

TEMPERATURES PLUNGED to almost -7°C last night as Ireland braced itself for an unprecedented third bout of snow within a single month.

Met Éireann has warned of sleet and snow showers across the south of the country this morning, with snowfall coming inland in parts of Munster and Leinster, ahead of more widespread hail and snow showers tomorrow.

Overnight, Dublin Airport recorded the lowest temperature of the night – with temperatures bottoming out at -6.8°C – while inland, temperatures in Mullingar dove to -6.5°C.

Temperatures this lunchtime are still particularly nippy, with Met Éireann’s station at Johnstown Castle in Co Wexford showing a positively balmy 5°C at 1pm, while temperatures in Ballyhaise, Co Cavan, and at Knock Airport remained below zero, at -1°C.

A fresh weather warning this morning advised that midland areas of Munster and Leinster – and later today in east Ulster – would see one or two inches of snowfall overnight, with higher accumulations of snow on high-lying areas.

A small craft warning remains in place too.

AA Roadwatch’s interactive map reports that new road damage, in most cases caused by freezing puddles creating potholes, has emerged in counties Cork, Kerry, Dublin, Longfird, Westmeath, Wicklow and Meath over the past two days.

There are no major transport problems as a result of the cold weather at present, however, though motorists are advised to take precaution on roads over the weekend following the anticipated spell of freezing nights.

In the UK, some regional airports – including Leeds-Bradford – have been forced to suspend flights as fresh bouts of snowfall cause their runways to require clearing.

Any emerging transport problems can be followed on TheJournal.ie’s curated ‘Big Freeze’ list on Twitter.