What’s another year? About 20C colder!
THIS time last year, visitors to Dublin’s St Stephen’s Green – like many people around the country – were basking in sunshine, enjoying ice cream in temperatures of about 20C.
Twelve months on, however, and the only ice we’ve tasted is the stuff blown into our faces by a bitterly cold easterly wind.
And as the brave walker photographed yesterday in the Phoenix Park would probably agree, this year’s conditions are
‘The snow flurries will continue’
more bearskin than bare skin. But if you thought that things were bad here, spare a thought for our neighbours in the North where many homes have been cut off by the heavy snowfall.
In the Aughafatten area of Co. Antrim yesterday, farmer Donald O’Reilly was forced to burrow into a snow drift to search for trapped sheep and lambs. Some of his animals, pictured right, were in a weakened state even after having been rescued. At least 140,000 homes and businesses in the North were left without power over the weekend following heavy snowfall, causing snowdrifts of up to 18ft.
But while the cold weather is set to continue, the worst is almost over. Harm Luijkx, a forecaster with Met Éireann, said today is expected to be the last day of freezing temperatures.
He said: ‘Temperatures will be between 3C and 6C followed by another night with temperatures below freezing in many areas.
‘The snow flurries will continue but they will be mostly in the eastern half of the country. But from Thursday onwards, the snow flurries will die out.’
Mr Luijkx said although temperatures could reach 8C from Friday, they will fall to around 2C at night. The southwest is also likely to experience rain, sleet and snow over the Easter weekend, he said.