Don’t put the sled away yet.. more snow on way as temperatures plummet to -5C

TEMPERATURES plummeted yesterday with snow forecast to fall today in Munster and Leinster.

Temperatures will fall as low as -5C in the next few days as a mini Beast from the East descends for the second cold snap in a month.

While weather conditions will not be as severe as a fortnight ago, the Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority urged motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to take extra caution.

Met Éireann said an orange weather alert is in place until midday and advised people along the east coast to be prepared, with snow and ice forecast. Scattered heavy snow is also forecast for Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Wexford, Wicklow, Meath and Waterford. A less severe yellow alert – advising people to be aware – is in place for the weekend with warnings of very cold conditions with wind chill and icy patches.

‘Frost and ice will clear gradually, so that Monday will be a cold, bright day, with some sunny spells at times,’ a spokesman said. ‘But there will still be a few light wintry showers scattered about.’

In Dublin, homeless agencies are making 100 emergency beds available as ‘the impact of severe weather can be immediately lifethreatening to people who are sleeping rough’. They are asking the public to report anyone seen sleeping rough at homelessdublin.ie/reportrough-sleeper.

More than 70 flights into and out of London’s Heathrow airport, including 10 flights to and from Dublin and Cork, have been cancelled due to expected snow and freezing temperatures in Britain.

Local authorities will salt roads over the weekend and said there were ample supplies of salt.