Chilling effect
Ireland braced for ice & snow as temperatures plummet to -6C
TEMPERATURES plummeting to -6C and the prospect of snowfall, have prompted Met Eireann to issue a nationwide ice warning.
A Status Yellow low temperature and ice alert is in place until 10am today.
A bus crashed in Blarney, Co Cork, yesterday while several trucks jack-knifed due to the treacherous conditions, sparking calls for people to “stay at home”.
Cork Cllr Damien Boylan said: “The strategy will be a constant round of gritting. A bus crashed [in Blarney] as it was leaving the village, blocking one side of the village and we had a number of trucks jack-knife.
“Unless it’s urgent for people to be where they need to be, [they should] stay at home.”
The accidents and Met Eireann’s warnings led to calls in some local authorities for 24-hour gritting to keep motorists safe.
It was claimed the round-the-clock measure is also needed to prevent repeats of the traffic gridlock that emerged yesterday with the first widespread frost of the year.
Last night was forecast to be -5C while tonight could be the coldest of the week with a chilling -6C predicted. Daytime temperatures are due to stay just above freezing for the coming days but the mercury will fall to -3C at night.
Snow is likely over high ground in the Dublin mountains and in Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow.
Met Eireann meteorologist Deirdre Lowe revealed the next couple of days are expected to be “very cold”.
Motorists and pedestrians have been warned to beware “dangerous” icy patches on roads and pavements.
Ms Lowe said: “Temperatures will get down to 1C to -5C [overnight into Tuesday] and [overnight into Wednesday] as low as -6C.”
She added there will be “widespread sharp to severe frost” and “icy stretches on roads.” Ms Lowe said: “There’s going to be freezing fog in the Midlands and the north of the country.
“There could be icy patches in any part of the country due to the wintry showers in the east and the hard frost over the rest of the country.”