In an updated Status Yellow weather warning, Met Éireann has warned of the possible impacts of the cold weather which includes animal welfare issues.
The weather warning, which was issued this morning (Friday, December 1) for low temperature and ice, will come into effect at 5.00p.m this evening for all counties and has been updated to remain in place until midday on Sunday, December 3.
The updated warning has also warned of dense fog forming in many areas, which is set to linger through the day in some places, with patches of freezing fog too.
It is an Arctic airflow that is set to continue over the weekend and into the early days of next week.
It will be mostly dry overnight, with isolated showers, possibly of sleet or snow, mainly across the northwest. It will remain very cold with lowest temperatures of 0° to – 4° with widespread sharp frost and icy patches. There will be mist and fog in parts too.
Tomorrow (Saturday, December 2) will be another cold with frost and ice to begin. Most areas will be dry through the day, with any wintry showers mainly along north and west coasts. Highest temperatures will be just 2° to 6° in light west to southwest breezes.
Again, Met Éireann warned tomorrow night will remain cold, along with scattered outbreaks of rain and drizzle moving in off the Atlantic, possibly turning wintry over higher ground. Lowest temperatures are expected to be -3° to +2° with light variable breezes.
Cold weather and animals
While livestock can cope with low temperatures provided they have plenty of feed and shelter, water supply can be a problem for both outwintered and housed animals during freezing conditions.
Ensuring that all livestock have free access to water is important. Supplies of drinking water should be checked daily, and surface ice broken on troughs twice per-day if necessary.
If possible, get ahead of yourself and have bales of silage pushed in so that will you avoid driving the tractor and doing work that could be avoided in instances where roads and farmyards are icy.
A useful resource to have around the yard would be grit and salt to ensure safe access to sheds in the event of icy conditions.