A 'multi-weather hazard event' is bearing down across the country, with orange warnings to come into place later today for eleven counties.

From 5pm today, eight counties - Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary - will be placed under orange 'snow and ice' warnings until 5pm tomorrow.

An orange warning for rain and snow will take effect in Cork, Kerry and Waterford at the same time.

Blizzard in Chicago with empty street and single person walking during snow storm. Image: Tara Vorhes / Alamy. 1 February 2011

Founder of Ireland's Weather Channel Cathal Nolan has said heavy snow is expected in places.

"We have a status weather warning in place for some heavy snowfall - that will be the case as we go through the evening and overnight and for a time tomorrow on Sunday as well," he said.

"Heavy precipitation will meet the colder air as that storm depression pushes closer to the south coast and it will bring heavy accumulations of snow upwards of 15 to 20 centimetres in some of the areas under the status orange weather warning."

Travel

Iarnród Éireann will be monitoring the situation closely over the weekend and putting its own protocols in place to deal with potential disruption to services.

Head of Corporate Communications, Barry Kenny, has said there is potential for some delays.

"In terms of the weather, we obviously will be monitoring closely and putting in place our own protocols to deal with snow and ice - but we would plan to be operating across the full network, potential for some delays of course.

"We will update customers via our social media and our website for any changes to services throughout the weekend."

Flights

Cork airport is advising all passengers to be mindful of possible delays during the bad weather as some flights may be disrupted.

Communications Manager at the Airport Barry Holland says passengers should allow time to get to the airport in the event of inclement weather.

"Our advice to passengers over the coming days, as temperatures are forecasted to drop significantly is to allow ample time for the journey to and from the airport on departing flights or perhaps maybe travelling to pick up passengers on arriving flights."

Wexford will be placed under a yellow rain and snow warning from 5pm today until 5pm tomorrow, while the rest of the country will come under yellow snow-ice warnings for the same period.

Featured image: Cars drive down Camden High Street during a snow blizzard in London, United Kingdom, on February 28, 2018. (Photo by Alex Milan Tracy/Sipa USA)