Met Éireann issues Status Orange weather warning impacting 19 counties

The cold snap will be sticking around for a few more days it seems.

A new Status Orange weather warning for 19 counties has been published by Met Éireann. The low temperature/ice alert was issued on Tuesday (13 December) and will be valid from 6pm on Wednesday until 12pm on Thursday. It applies to Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Tipperary and Westmeath. "Extremely cold on Wednesday night with widespread temperatures below -5 degrees leading to severe frost and ice," the warning reads. https://twitter.com/MetEireann/status/1602684997563043841 Currently in effect is also a Status Yellow low temperature/ice warning for the entire country which is set to be valid until midday on Friday. The alert states that it will stay very cold throughout this week with "widespread sharp to severe frosts and icy stretches". "Some showers of hail, sleet and snow will occur, mainly near coasts. Accumulations at lower levels are expected to remain low," it adds. "Freezing fog will occur at times, with winds remaining light over land." As for the possible impacts of these conditions, Met Éireann lists:

• Treacherous conditions on paths and roads
• Travel disruption
• Potential supply disruption
• Potential for burst water pipes and damage to engines
• Increased risks to vulnerable members of the community
• Animal welfare issues
• Slack winds over land leading to reduced wind power generation

Meanwhile, Met Éireann's forecast says conditions are set to stay "very cold throughout the working week". As for after this point, it states: "There is a good deal of uncertainty in the forecast from Sunday onwards. "Current indications suggest that it will turn more unsettled and milder with spells of rain at times." Amid the cold snap, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has issued a fresh warning to road users regarding the dangers posed by freezing fog. It said that freezing fog - combined with possible icy roads caused by expected -5 and below temperatures - poses a safety risk for road users. For more on the RSA's advice, see here.