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Status Yellow weather warning: Motorists urged to be cautious on the roads

The southern half of the country will see sleet and snowfall overnight.

LAST UPDATE | 8 Mar 2023

MET ÉIREANN HAS issued a Status Yellow warning for snow and ice for the entire country tomorrow, with motorists urged to take care on the roads.

The forecaster expects rain, sleet and snow to fall in the southern half of the country tonight and tomorrow along with strengthening easterly winds and “noticeable snow” in many areas, as well as icy conditions.

The warning will start at 3am and last until 11pm tomorrow except for Cavan, Monaghan and all counties of Leinster, where it will remain in place overnight until 7am on Friday.

Additionally, a Status Yellow low temperature/ice warning for the whole country will be in place from 9pm tomorrow until 10am on Friday.

Road users urged to be cautious

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has said the weather will lead to hazardous road conditions and reduced visibility.

It said road users should check local traffic and weather conditions before setting out on any journeys, as well as taking the following precautions:

  • Remove all snow from their vehicle before setting off, including snow on the roof
  • Clear windows and mirrors using a screen scraper and de-icer
  • Slow down, use all controls delicately and leave extra distance from the vehicle in front
  • In heavy snow, use fog lights, turn off the radio and open the window a fraction, so they can hear other traffic, especially at junctions
  • Watch out for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists and allow extra space

The RSA also urged pedestrians not to underestimate the danger of snow and ice. It said footpath users should wear high-visibility clothing or carry a torch.

The Office of Emergency Planning has warned people to be prepared for low temperatures, and to put a hi-viz jacket, shovel and boots in the boot of their car.

It has also advised motorists to ensure their windows are clean and free from snow and that they have a scraper and de-icer. 

‘Significant amount of snow’

Met Éireann’s Gerry Murphy said today that there will be a “significant amount of sleet and snow” in the weather system which is due to push up from the south tonight and into tomorrow.

Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, he said the forecaster expects “pockets of Orange-level snow”, meaning snowfall of between three and 10 centimetres, and possibly more in higher-ground areas.

This will certainly bring noticeable snow, it’s not just a question of a few flurries here and there.

“Tonight will start off similar to recent nights, mostly cold and dry … after midnight, this sleet and snow is going to push up over really much of the southern half of the country.”

He said Ireland would not get as much snow as has been seen in England and Wales today, but tomorrow morning there will be “quite a bit of sleet and snow” on the ground in the southern half of the country.

The Department of Housing’s National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) Crisis Management Team held a virtual meeting today in response to the coming weather.

The NDFEM met with Met Éireann, the local authorities, the Principal Response Agencies, key Departments and responding national organisations and will hold another meeting tomorrow at 11am.

The Road Safety Authority has warned drivers to watch out for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists and allow extra space.

The UK Met Office issued a snow warning for all six counties in Northern Ireland from 7am tomorrow until 2pm on Friday, cautioning that “heavy snow has the potential to cause disruption”.

The PSNI has urged motorists to prepare for potentially challenging and hazardous driving conditions across Northern Ireland tomorrow

The force also asked drivers to “listen to and consider all travel and safety advice before making any journey.”

The town of Castlederg in Co Tyrone recorded a temperature of -8.5 degrees, the lowest since 2010.

Temperatures dipped to between minus one and minus three degrees last night in many places, with the lowest temperature of minus four degrees recorded at Markree Castle at 4am.

Some areas stayed above freezing but were also subject to chilly conditions as a cold spell continues.

The warmest overnight temperature was five degrees at Johnstown Castle at 1am.

Highest temperatures today are expected to be between three and six degrees.

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    Mute Shaun Gallagher
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    Nov 15th 2022, 9:54 AM

    Our carbon tax is working well.

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    Mute Michael Dowling
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    Nov 15th 2022, 10:17 AM

    @Shaun Gallagher: I want a refund of this failed policy.

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    Mute Edward Reid
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    Nov 15th 2022, 10:21 AM

    House retrofitting is not going to work, because the grants are still making it out of reach for most to upgrade and then even if they increased the grants or gave tax breaks, we don’t have the workforce to make the difference in the time needed for this. Government need to put viable alternatives in place for all not just the top 5%!

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    Mute Derek Lyster
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    Nov 15th 2022, 11:17 AM

    @Edward Reid: house retro fitting should be free to those who need it. There should also be courses up and running training people on how to retrofit houses. Of course this should have happened years ago but the minister of soundbites and no substance has been asleep at tge wheel.

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Nov 15th 2022, 10:28 AM

    Bring back the Turf.

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    Mute SPQH
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    Nov 15th 2022, 9:22 AM

    This reporting seems off, I just looked up the index and Denmark is the highest EU country at 4th, Sweden is at 5th.

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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Nov 15th 2022, 9:26 AM

    @SPQH: They are over doing the reporting. It’s going to get to the stage where people won’t listen anymore and just say screw it. The reports are relentless at this stage.

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    Mute Pat Man
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    Nov 15th 2022, 11:10 AM

    @David Corrigan: The essence of brainwashing, keep repeating the message over and over .Very little balance, resulting in a small number of indoctrinated fanatical supporters and a disillusioned majority.

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    Mute SPQH
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    Nov 15th 2022, 9:25 AM

    Interestingly there is no 1st 2nd or 3rd place as no country has scored high enough it seems! So Denmark sits at highest.

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    Mute Hans Vos
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    Nov 15th 2022, 9:59 AM

    Reading this: it’s about time that we’re opting in.

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    Mute Metaljester
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    Nov 15th 2022, 10:03 AM

    @Hans Vos: more carbon tax is the answer……

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    Mute Hans Vos
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    Nov 15th 2022, 11:26 AM

    @Metaljester: more and better recycling like a lot of other countries is a better answer.

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    Mute Baronvoncass
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    Nov 15th 2022, 3:34 PM

    @Hans Vos: it would be good to see especially for businesses, separate to do with climate change issue though.

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    Mute Baronvoncass
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    Nov 15th 2022, 3:36 PM

    . Energy infrastructure is the way forward. Invest in fast track wind turbines. We need to maximise our resources, and we also do need security of having gas fields available for energy security aswell. Heat pumps for new and major renovations. Insulation grants for the large stock the rest have little alternative to gas and oil central heating, focus on improving insulation in those.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Nov 15th 2022, 6:58 PM

    @Baronvoncass: Would be buying into tidal systems big time also.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Nov 15th 2022, 6:57 PM

    “In transport, long-term patterns of a car-dependent system.”… er, isn’t that how we’ve been politic’d?

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