Irish weather: Met Éireann issues low temperature and ice warning to most counties

Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow low temperature and ice warning for most of the country today as cold conditions could cause difficulties to commuters.

All counties in Connacht as well as Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow, Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary could face sub-zero temperatures.

It is expected to reach below -3 degrees in many areas with frost and ice developing.

Hazardous driving and travelling conditions could result.

The warning is valid from 6pm this evening until 12pm tomorrow.

Icy patches in counties Armagh, Antrim, Down, Tyrone, Derry have prompted the Met Office to issue an ice warning due to difficult driving conditions.

That warning is valid until 10am this morning.

Met Éireann forecasts the chance of light snow in the northeast of the country, with scattered wintry showers expected for eastern counties.

There is a chance of sleet, snow, hail and rain during these showers.

Highest temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees are expected before dropping below zero overnight, reaching as low as -5 degrees.

Tonight will be very cold with widespread sharp, severe frost and icy stretches with some scattered wintry showers in west Connacht and west Ulster.

Tomorrow marks the first day of the meteorological winter and it will be very cold with well scattered wintry showers.

Temperatures are expected to reach highs of 2 to 6 degrees before dropping to 0 to -4 degrees overnight.

Met Éireann forecasts it will be “very cold with frost, ice and some wintry precipitation” overnight but adds it will be “less cold by the new week”.