Status orange warnings have been issued in five counties warning of 'significant snowfall accumulations'.
An orange snow warning is in place in Clare, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford and travellers have been warned to take particular care while driving.
‼️Further update⬇️
⚠️Orange Snow/Ice Warning⚠️ for Clare Cork Limerick Tipperary & Waterford ❗️
➡️Significant snowfall accumulations expected
⏰00:01 to 12:00 Thu 21/11/24
Check updates for your region⬇️
ℹ️https://t.co/t2JoveRUyC pic.twitter.com/GtpTys3Iso— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) November 20, 2024
The rest of the country is under a yellow frost and ice warning until 10 o'clock this morning.
Met Éireann broadcaster Aoife Kealy told Newstalk Breakfast that those travelling today should be extra cautious.
“It's far from the coldest November we'll ever see, but it does mean that travelling conditions will be treacherous out there,” she said
“Especially if people are maybe walking on footpaths or driving on untreated surfaces, so just that extra bit of care is needed now in the next few days.”
Frost and ice on a car in January 2014. Image: Rodger Tamblyn / Alamy Stock PhotoMs Kealy said that inland areas will be the most heavily affected.
“So, particularly inland areas will get quite cold,” she said.
“We're likely to see temperatures get down to even minus four degrees or possibly a little colder locally tonight, so very cold.
"Coasts will stay that little bit less cold, but it's not going to be a whole lot of benefit.
“Temperatures really widely [will] get below freezing again tonight.
“Even the daytime temperatures are going to struggle to get above five or six degrees through today and tomorrow.”
Potential snow
According to Ms Kealy, there is potential for heavy rain to turn into hail, sleet and even snow.
“There will be some scattered wintry showers we’ll see across Ulster and North Connacht mainly,” she said.
“There is a spell of heavy rain that will move into the west and south-west later on this evening, and that will spread across the southern half of the country tonight.
"As it spreads, there is potential for that to turn to sleet and snow in places, so there is also a yellow level snow ice warning in place for Munster for tonight and tomorrow morning.
“So, we're likely to see some accumulations out of that snow and again, that's going to make conditions even more treacherous tomorrow morning.”
Ms Kealy warned travellers to be careful of any black ice on roads and pathways this morning.
