Entire country hit with weather warning as temperatures to plummet well below freezing

'A dusting of snow' is also possible over higher ground in some parts of the country.

Met Éireann has issued a low temperature/ice warning for the entire Republic of Ireland as temperatures are set to plummet to well below freezing. Valid from 5pm on Thursday (30 November) until midday on Friday, the Status Yellow alert reads: "Very cold with temperatures expected to fall below -3 degrees in many areas. "Frost and ice developing will cause hazardous travelling conditions." Met Éireann's national forecast, meanwhile, states that temperatures in some parts of the country are set to dip to as low as -5. It also says that west Connacht, west Ulster and parts of the east coast will on Thursday night see some showers of hail and sleet, with "a dusting of snow possible over higher ground".

Status Yellow - Low Temperature/Ice warning for Ireland ⚠️

Very cold with temperatures expected to fall below -3°C in many areas. ? ? Frost & ice developing will cause hazardous travelling conditions. ??‍♀️ ?‍♀️ Valid: 17:00 30/11/23 to 12:00 01/12/23https://t.co/Xg3aMJlyuS pic.twitter.com/2SIGq4IFEa — Met Éireann (@MetEireann) November 30, 2023

Entire country hit with weather warning as temperatures to plummet well below freezing

On top of the Met Éireann alert, the UK Met Office has issued a Status Yellow ice warning for Antrim, Derry and Down which will be valid from 5pm on Thursday until 10am on Friday. Earlier this week, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) issued a statement in which it advised all road users to prepare for cold weather conditions. As part of this, it issued the following advice to drivers:

"Clear windows and mirrors fully before you set out, use a screen scraper and de-icer fluid. Do not use hot water on the windscreen as it can crack the glass. "In icy conditions, slow down, use all controls delicately and leave extra distance between you and the vehicle in front. Avoid over steering and harsh braking and harsh acceleration. Use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin. Select a low gear when travelling downhill especially if through bends. "Watch out for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, people who cycle and motorcyclists - slow down and allow extra space when overtaking them."

Pedestrians are also advised to wear appropriate footwear and stay on the footpath. "Walk on the right-hand side of the road, facing traffic if there are no footpaths," the RSA added.

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