Ice warning: Tumbling temperatures are expected to reach -8C
MOTORISTS and pedestrians are being urged to exercise extreme care due to ice and frost as Met Éireann warned overnight temperatures could plummet to -8C.
A Status Yellow ice and low temperature warning was issued and will remain in place until noon today.
Siberian conditions are expected to continue with last night expected to be the coldest night of the year so far. Some inland areas were expected to tumble to as low as -8C by the early hours of this morning.
An exceptionally heavy frost has been forecast as a frigid northern weather front sweeps over Ireland and driving conditions are expected to prove treacherous.
Gardaí and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) urged people to adhere to the Government’s Covid-19 advice to stay at home and undertake only essential journeys.
Those who do have essential journeys to make have been urged to drive with care, slow down and check all their vehicle lights, tyres, wipers and brakes before setting out as well as allowing extra braking distance to vehicles in front.
Met Éireann warned it would be exceptionally cold overnight though this afternoon and tomorrow will see dry, sunny spells.
“There will be widespread severe frost with icy stretches.
“It’ll be predominantly dry with clear skies and just a few patches of freezing fog,” an official warned.
The service reported it would be warmer overnight into tomorrow with temperatures only dropping to -2C. It will be milder weather but blustery.
“Many areas will be dry [tomorrow] with a mix of clouds and some bright spells,” the spokesperson said.
“There will be patches of rain drifting into Atlantic coastal counties with perhaps more persistent rain on the north coast and maximum daytime temperatures of 5C to 8C degrees.”
Temperatures are set to remain above freezing into the early hours of Monday.
“The current indications suggest Monday will be an increasingly breezy day with scattered outbreaks of rain spreading across the country from the Atlantic,” said the spokesperson.
“Tuesday is expected to be another damp and breezy day with outbreaks of rain, heaviest and most persistent in the north.”