LAST UPDATE | 7 Jan

A SNOW AND rain warning has been issued for counties Cork, Kerry, Waterford, and Wexford for tomorrow, as Storm Goretti is set to sweep across parts of Europe.

The Status Yellow weather warning is to kick in at noon tomorrow and remain in place until 8pm. Met Éireann has warned of rain that will be heavy at times, which will turn to sleet and snow and places tomorrow afternoon, particularly at elevation.

It said accumulations of snow and sleet are possible.

Road users are warned of potentially hazardous travelling conditions, with spot flooding, poor visibility, and icy patches forecast.

Storm Goretti has been forecast to bring disruption to the UK and France from tomorrow, bringing heavy snow and gale-force winds to southern England, south Wales and northern France.

Although the six counties in Ireland’s north are presently under an ice warning from the UK’s Met Office, Ireland looks set to avoid much of the incoming blustery and icy weather, Met Éireann forecaster Linda Hughes told The Journal yesterday.

Met Éireann is forecasting that rain will turn heavy at times near the south coast, potentially turning to sleet and snow over parts of Munster and south Leinster tomorrow afternoon. 

Ireland’s ice weather warnings lifted yesterday at 9am after a cold snap that saw temperatures plunge below freezing. However, wintry spells are set to continue.

The rainfall map for 4pm tomorrow. Met Éireann Met Éireann

Today, Met Éireann has said it will be cloudy and mostly dry this morning with mist and fog patches, with outbreaks of rain and drizzle that will affect parts of the west and southwest first.

The wet weather will track eastwards throughout the day. Bright spells are possible in eastern parts where it is to remain dry until the late afternoon, followed by isolated showers.

Highest temperatures will range between 3 degrees in the north to 10 degrees in the southwest.

In Paris, around 140 flights were cancelled this morning as parts of Europe face snowfall and freezing temperatures, as the UK also appears set to be battered by incoming Storm Goretti. 

Around 100 flights were cancelled at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport this morning because of snowfall and fierce cold, and a further 40 were cancelled at Orly airport, France’s transport minister said.

The flights disruptions had already been anticipated late yesterday, and Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot told CNews television he was “hoping the situation returns to normal this afternoon”.