Met Éireann has this afternoon issued a Status Yellow fog warning for Munster.
The warning is in place from midnight tonight until 10:00p.m tomorrow, Tuesday, November 23.
The national forecaster has said that dense fog will develop in places tonight and linger tomorrow, leading to hazardous conditions on roads.
Road safety
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is warning road users of the dangers posed by fog.
The authority emphasises that dense fog “seriously reduces your visibility and makes driving very dangerous”.
Tips for road users include:
- Switch on dipped headlights and fog lamps if visibility is reduced;
- As you enter fog, check your mirrors and slow down. Use your foot brake lightly so that your lights warn following drivers;
- Do not drive on the tail-lights of the vehicle in front (target fixing). This can give a false sense of security and you will be too close to be able to brake safely;
- Beware of other drivers who are not using their headlights;
- Switch off distracting noise and open the window slightly so that you can listen for other traffic, especially at crossroads and junctions;
- Carry a mobile phone, high-visibility jacket and torch in the event of a breakdown or collision. In the event of a breakdown, park the vehicle well in off the road, get out and stand well back from the side of the road. Phone the emergency services and do not attempt to stand or walk on the road;
- Beware of speeding up as soon as visibility improves slightly. In patchy fog you could find yourself ‘driving blind’ again only moments later;
- Remember to switch off your fog lights when visibility improves.
Cold week ahead with frosty nights, Met Éireann forecasts
The weather overall this week is expected to be cold, with some frosty nights expected. There will be a good deal of dry weather, but some rain or showers at times, Met Éireann has forecast.
Tonight will be cold and mainly dry with clear spells, though mist and fog will develop overnight.
Frost will form in many areas as temperatures generally fall to between -2° and +1° in a light breeze.
However, it will be cloudier and less cold over north Ulster with temperatures of 2° to 4°.
Frost will clear tomorrow morning to leave a largely dry day with sunny spells, though mist and fog will linger in some areas.
The best of the sunshine will be over the southern half of the country, with cloudier conditions further north. There will be highest temperatures of 6° to 9° in a light variable breeze.
Tuesday night will be dry in Leinster and Munster with frost developing in places and lowest temperatures of -1 to +3.
Ulster and Connacht will be milder and cloudier with lows of 3° to 7° and moderate southwest winds. After a dry start, rain will develop in the northwest and will spread across the provinces overnight.
On Wednesday morning, rain will move southeastwards over Leinster and Munster and will clear by noon.
Sunny spells and scattered showers will follow from the northwest and moderate southwest winds will become west to northwest as rain clears.
Wednesday night will be cold with clear spells and scattered showers, most frequent near northern and western coasts.
Wintry weather
Thursday will be a bright day with sunny spells. It will be mainly dry, but some scattered showers are likely on north facing coasts.
There will be highest temperatures of 5° to 8° with moderate, occasionally fresh, northwest winds. Thursday night will be mainly dry.
However, rain will develop in the northwest later in the night and spread southeastwards. Lowest temperatures of -1° to +4°, coldest in the southeast.
Friday will be a cold, windy and showery day, with some showers turning wintry.
There will be highest temperatures of 5° to 8° but feeling colder in fresh to strong and gusty northwest winds, with gales possible on some coasts and high ground.