Further weather warnings should be expected as temperatures plummet, a Met Eireann forecaster has warned.

With a Status Yellow low temperature weather warning still in place across the country until 11am, forecasters are warning this cold will continue over the coming days.

As temperatures are expected to hit a low of minus 12, there is significant concern over school closures and travel disruptions.

On Newstalk Breakfast, Met Eireann forecaster Rebecca Cantwell said that last night, temperatures dropped down to between minus five and zero degrees.

Further warnings

“The lowest temperatures of minus five degrees is recorded at our station at Athenry in Galway,” she said.

“Across the country this morning, a lot of stations are still remaining below zero, so it's a cold, frosty morning out there.

“[Temperatures] won't get too high today - we're looking at about highs of two to six degrees only.

“So, while it's cold, it's still going to be a fairly dry day, just some showers in northern and western areas - possibly wintry, but largely a dry and sunny day today.”

As we move into the weekend, Ms Cantwell said Ireland is looking at more hazardous winter weather and we should expect more weather warnings.

“So far, we have an advisory in place, and it's due to the complexity involved in forecasting snow, but further detailed warnings are likely to be issued later today,” she said.

“I'd urge people to keep an eye on the forecast and keep updated with the warnings.

“[Further weather warnings] will be issued.”

"Significant accumulations of snow"

While it is too late for a white Christmas, we could see a white Nollaig na mBan (Women’s Christmas on January 6th), Ms Cantwell suggests.

“As we move through the weekend, rain is going to move in over the country through Saturday and as that rain meets the colder air that's over Ireland, it's going to turn to snow in some areas,” she said.

“There's potential for some significant accumulations of snow in places, but there's a lot of uncertainty as to where that rain to snow boundary will be positioned.”

Areas of higher ground and areas in the Midlands are “more at risk” for snowfall over the coming days.

“This is expected to be a multi-hazard event, with disruption in all areas due to either those accumulations of snow or where the snow doesn't fall - rain will fall,” Ms Cantwell said.

“Of course, in these cold conditions, [rain is] going to freeze and that's going to create some icy stretches and treacherous conditions.”

"Freezing fog"

Next week is expected to continue to be cold, Ms Cantwell said.

“It's going to turn very cold actually next week, but it will be drier again, so just those wintry showers in the west and north, but frost, ice, fog, even freezing fog, continuing for much the week,” she said.

Currently, conditions look set to turn milder by next weekend.

Snow and freezing fog on an estate near Newbridge in County Kildare. 09/12/2022 Photograph: Eamonn Farrell / RollingNews.ie