Met Éireann has issued a Status Orange weather warning this morning (Thursday, March 9) for snow and ice for the majority of the country.
The forecaster said that there will be further spells of sleet and snow in Cavan; Donegal; Monaghan; Clare; Longford; Louth; Meath; Westmeath; and Connacht today, which will be accompanied by strong east to northeasterly winds.
The warning will come into force from 11:00a.m today and remain in place until midnight.
A second Status Orange warning for snow and ice for Carlow; Dublin; Kildare; Kilkenny; Laois; Offaly; Wexford; Wicklow; and Tipperary will apply from midnight until 10:00a.m tomorrow.
Meanwhile, a Status Yellow weather warning for snow and ice for the entire country is currently in place and will remain valid until midday on Friday.
The UK Met Office has also issued a Status Yellow warning for heavy snow today and tomorrow in Northern Ireland.
This warning will remain in force until 2:00p.m on Friday.
Met Éireann
Met Éireann said that rain, sleet and snow is set to push northwards across the country today along with strengthening winds.
Significant accumulations of snow are expected along with icy stretches on roads in counties covered by the Status Orange warnings.
The national forecaster said that there will be hazardous road conditions and poor visibility which will lead to travel disruption.
The sleet and snow will likely transition to rain in southern areas for a time.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has advised road users to avoid making unnecessary journeys in affected areas while the Status Orange alerts are in place.
“The golden rule is drive with care and caution – expect the unexpected.”
Road users are advised to check local traffic and weather conditions before setting out on a journey and heed any public messages issued by An Garda Síochána and the local authorities.
Ahead of the cold snap and snow over a widespread area, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) Crisis Management Team held a virtual meeting yesterday (Wednesday, March 8).
It included Met Éireann, local authorities, the principal response agencies, key departments and responding national organisations.
The NDFEM CMT said that it continues to liaise with Met Éireann to monitor the evolving weather situation.
A further meeting of the group is scheduled for 11:00a.m today.