A Status Orange low temperature and ice warning has been issued across most of Ireland from 8pm tonight.
All of Munster and Connacht along with Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath ,Wicklow, Cavan, and Monaghan can expect extreme cold with widespread severe frost, ice and lying snow.
The Orange warning is valid from 8pm tonight until 10am tomorrow morning.
A separate Status Orange low temperature and ice warning has been put in place for Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Munster and Connacht from 6pm tomorrow, Wednesday, to 11am on Thursday morning.
A Status Yellow snow-ice warning remains in place across Ireland until midday today.
A Status Yellow low temperature and ice warning for the entire country is also in place and will come back into effect upon the end of the higher Orange warnings until 6am on Friday as well.
Status Orange - Low Temperature/Ice warning for Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow, Cavan, Monaghan, Munster, Connacht
Extremely cold with widespread severe frost, ice and lying snow.
Valid: 20:00 Tuesday 07/01 to 10:00 Wednesday pic.twitter.com/ykaN3rYGD1
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) January 7, 2025
Temperatures could drop as low as minus eight degrees for the next two nights, with day-time temperatures not rising above freezing in some areas.
Minus 10 degrees is even a possibility, forecasters have warned.
It means any ice or snow will be slow to thaw until the end of the week - posing dangerous travel conditions and animal welfare risks.
The rise in weather warning from Status Yellow to Orange means the weather is viewed as dangerous and could pose a threat to life and property.
⚠️Status Orange - Low Temperature/Ice warning for Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Munster, Connacht⚠️
Extremely cold with widespread severe frost, ice and lying snow.
Valid: 18:00 Wednesday 08/01/2025 to 11:00 Thursday 09/01/2025
More here https://t.co/Vj0yBkGA0J pic.twitter.com/BNKGxa0yvJ
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) January 7, 2025
Some schools are remaining shut today because of the cold weather – most notably in the Midlands and Munster.
Meanwhile, 10,000 people remain without power in Tipperary, Kerry and Limerick.
The consecutive Orange warnings mean schools, creches and businesses will now have to make decisions about how they will operate for the next few days.
Snow in Kilkenny. 06/01/2024 Image: Gardaí
