Ireland weather warning: 'Disruptive' snow to wreak havoc as Met Eireann warns of -10C temperatures

Ireland is bracing for a bone-chilling -10C cold snap as 'disruptive' snow and treacherous ice wreak havoc this weekend. Met Eireann has issued a weather warning in anticipation of the freezing conditions intensifying.

By: irishmirror.ie

Jan 02 2025
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Ireland weather warning: 'Disr

Met Eireann has issued a new weather warning as Ireland braces for the worsening effects of an ongoing cold snap.

Temperatures are set to plummet as low as -10C over the coming days bringing wintry showers of hail, sleet and snow, along with widespread frost, ice and freezing fog.

In anticipation of the cold conditions intensifying, the national forecaster has issued a rare 'double' warning for low temperatures and ice, covering the entire country. While warnings are typically issued for singular weather events, this Status Yellow alert combines both hazards.

The 17-hour warning begins at 6pm today and continues until 11am tomorrow. It states: "Very cold with widespread frost and ice as temperatures fall to -3C or below in many areas. Potential impacts include hazardous travelling conditions and animal welfare issues."

With temperatures expected to drop even further, the meteorological agency has confirmed that "disruptive amounts of snow" will wreak havoc this weekend.

Met Eireann said: "Very cold with some very disruptive and impactful weather likely this weekend, with an area of low pressure dominating and bringing heavy rain, sleet and some disruptive amounts of snow. Becoming blustery too. Becoming drier for the early days of next week with the winds moderating, but bitterly cold with an arctic airmass across the country and with very hazardous conditions from a combination of lying snow, widespread severe frost and ice and scattered wintry showers."

A 48-hour weather advisory has also been issued, covering all of Saturday and Sunday. It warns: "Sleet and snow in places this weekend, with some disruption possible. A spell of rain will spread northwards over Ireland during the course of Saturday, turning to sleet and snow in some areas. Rain, sleet and snow will continue for a time on Sunday before clearing eastwards into the Irish Sea."

Worryingly, this cold weather pattern is expected to persist well into next week. Met Eireann added: "An arctic airmass will bring bitterly cold conditions next week. There'll be treacherous conditions with some significant accumulations of lying snow along with widespread severe frost and ice. The cold snap of weather will continue to the end of next week, with the likelihood of more persistent falls of rain, sleet and snow, but it's likely to gradually become less cold by the weekend."

Met Eireann's Ireland snow timeline

"Frost and any ice will clear Thursday morning to leave a cold day and it'll be dry and sunny in many areas. There'll be scattered showers though, mainly in Ulster and Connacht, some of hail and sleet. There'll be a few snow flurries too, mainly in the north. Highest temperatures of only 2C to 6C in a light to moderate mainly north to northwest breeze. Cold Thursday night with clear spells and while it'll be dry in most areas, there'll be well scattered showers, mainly in the north and west, some wintry. Lowest temperatures of -5C to 0C with widespread frost and some ice developing. Some fog and freezing fog will form too. Winds will be mostly light west to northwesterly or variable, but will be fresher in northern coastal parts.

"It'll be frosty to begin Friday morning with some fog in places too. The frost and fog will clear to leave another cold day, but it'll be dry and sunny again in many areas. However there'll be scattered showers, mainly in the north and some in the west, a few wintry, and with more persistent rain for a time in north Ulster. Highest temperatures of 2C to 6C in mostly light to moderate westerly or variable breezes, the winds fresher for a time in coastal parts of the north and northeast. Staying cold and mainly dry Friday night with clear spells. There'll be a few well scattered showers near western and northern coasts, the odd wintry one. Lowest temperatures of -3C to 1C, with widespread frost and some ice forming once again. There'll also be some fog and freezing fog patches.

"The frost and fog will clear on Saturday morning and it'll be dry for a time in many areas with some sunny spells, especially further north. However, it now looks increasingly likely that an area of low pressure to the south of Ireland, will dominate our weather for the rest of the weekend, with rain gradually spreading from the southwest over the course of the day, becoming heavy at times, especially later and as it meets the cold air further inland, it'll turn to sleet and snow. Cold with highest temperatures of just 1C to 6C or 7C , with the higher temperatures along the south and southwest coast, where the precipitation will fall mainly as rain. Winds will be mostly light easterly to begin, but will freshen through the day. The area of low pressure is likely to track eastwards close to or over southern parts of the country on Saturday night, bringing widespread heavy falls of rain, sleet and snow on Saturday night. The precipitation will mainly fall as sleet and snow away from the south and southwest, with some significant accumulations expected. Lowest temperatures of -2C to 1C in moderate to fresh and gusty east to northeast winds, stronger in some coastal parts.

"Sunday will bring further falls of rain, sleet and some further significant snowfall accumulations for a time. It'll gradually become drier from the west later in the day as the area of low pressure moves away eastwards. Feeling very cold with highest temperatures of 2C to 7C and with the added wind chill from fresh and gusty northerly winds, strong at times in some coastal parts. Any remaining rain, sleet and snow will clear eastwards on Sunday night, with clear spells following. Scattered rain, hail, sleet and snow showers will follow too, mainly into the north and west. Very cold with some significant amounts of lying snow, widespread frost and ice. Lowest temperatures of -5C to 0C with the north to northwest winds generally moderating.

"Very cold Monday with some bright or sunny spells and scattered showers of rain, hail, sleet and snow, these most frequent in the north and west. Highest temperatures ranging from freezing to 5C in mostly moderate northwest winds, fresher in coastal parts of the north and west. Very cold Monday night with some clear spells and further scattered wintry showers, these mainly in the north and west. Lowest temperatures of -7C to -1C with widespread severe, frost, ice conditions. Winds will be mostly light to moderate northwesterly, fresher in coastal parts of the north and northwest.

"Another very cold day Thursday with treacherous icy conditions and lying snow. Overall there'll be a lot of dry bright, sunny weather, but still some scattered showers in the north and west. Highest temperatures of just -1C to 4C in light to moderate west to northwest winds. Apart from a few lingering wintry showers in the north, it'll be dry on Tuesday night with clear spells. Freezing fog will form, becoming dense in places. Extremely cold with temperatures expected to fall to between -10C and -3C in light variable breezes.

"Bitterly cold on Wednesday with freezing fog, lying snow and icy conditions. Mainly dry, with just well scattered showers in the north and northwest. Daytime temperatures could be as low as -5C to 2C.".

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