Met Éireann issues yellow ice warning for whole country as temperatures set to plummet

The national forecaster has issued a status yellow low temperature and ice warning for all counties which will come into effect this evening. (Ben Birchall/PA)

Temperatures are set to plummet as low as minus three degrees in many areas, Met Éireann has said.

The national forecaster has issued a status yellow low temperature and ice warning for all counties which will come into effect this evening.

"Very cold with temperatures expected to fall below -3 degrees in many areas,” Met Éireann said. These conditions are expected to bring frost and ice, creating “hazardous travelling conditions”.

The cold weather warning is valid until noon on Friday, December 1.

Tonight is forecast to be very cold with sharp to severe frost and icy stretches widespread across the country.

There is a chance of scattered showers in parts of Ulster and Connacht as well as in areas along the east coast too. Some will be hail or sleet showers. Lowest overnight temperatures of between minus five to zero degrees are forecast.

Dublin Simon is appealing to the public to report anyone seen sleeping rough, because of the high risk of hypothermia.

The charity has asked members of the public to use the Dublin Rough Sleeper Alerts App to inform their outreach team where some people are sleeping outdoors during the cold weather spell.

They said they are particularly concerned that some rough sleepers will have moved to less central parts of the city to sleep, as a result of the unrest seen in the city centre last Thursday.

"The chaotic events in Dublin city centre last week may have prompted some people who sleep rough to move from their usual central locations into more out of the way places, making it more challenging for Outreach to provide essential care to this vulnerable group,” the charity said in a statement.

The cold weather will continue tomorrow morning with frost, ice and fog gradually clearing. There will be some scattered showers across counties in the north and west. Some will see hail with a chance of sleet over higher ground.

Most of Friday will be bright with plenty of sunshine but temperatures will only reach highs of between two and six degrees.

Met Éireann has also issued a status yellow ice warning for 5 pm on Friday evening, which is valid until noon on Saturday. They are warning of potential travel disruption because of the cold temperatures with “hazardous conditions on roads and paths”.