EuroWire, DUBLIN: Ireland’s weather service kept a Status Yellow snow and ice warning in place for 11 counties through 9 a.m. on Friday, warning that overnight showers could turn to sleet or snow and leave accumulations mainly on higher ground. The alert covered parts of the south, west and northwest, with forecasters saying the main risks were difficult travelling conditions and poor visibility as colder, unstable conditions moved across the country during the overnight period and into the early morning.
The warning applied to Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo and Wicklow. Met Éireann issued the alert on Thursday morning and said the highest risk period would run from 9 p.m. on Thursday until 9 a.m. on Friday. The agency said showers could fall as sleet or snow, with some accumulations possible mainly on high ground, where roads and visibility were expected to pose the greatest concern for early travel and routine morning movement.
In its national forecast issued at 5 a.m. on Friday, Met Éireann said the day would begin with wintry showers of rain, hail, sleet and some snow on high ground before turning cold and breezy with bright or sunny spells and occasional showers. Isolated thunderstorms were also possible. Daytime temperatures were forecast to reach 5 to 8 degrees Celsius, with moderate to fresh, gusty westerly winds maintaining a chill across many areas even after the early warning window expired.
Coastal conditions remain rough
Marine alerts remained in force even as the land warning moved toward expiry. Met Éireann said a Status Yellow gale warning for all Irish coastal waters and the Irish Sea was valid until 9 a.m. on Friday, while a separate Status Yellow small craft warning for all coasts was due to remain in place until midnight at the end of Friday. The agency said west to southwest winds would reach gale force 8 in marine areas, with westerly winds later veering northwesterly and remaining force 6 or higher at times.
For Friday night, the forecaster said showers would become less frequent and largely retreat to Atlantic coastal counties, with clear spells developing more widely. Temperatures were expected to fall to between minus 1 and plus 3 degrees Celsius, bringing a risk of frost as winds eased, along with some mist or fog patches. Saturday was forecast to start mainly dry with bright or sunny spells, especially in the east, before scattered showers spread gradually eastward through the day and ease later in the evening.
No fresh land warning for Saturday
Met Éireann’s warning outlook for Saturday showed no weather warning in operation, indicating the snow and ice alert for the 11 counties was not extended beyond Friday morning. The service said cloud would increase from the west on Saturday after daytime showers eased, with rain and drizzle expected to spread eastward on Saturday night. Sunday was forecast to be cool and breezy with sunny spells and scattered blustery showers, some turning wintry in northern areas, before conditions turn milder early next week.
The latest advisories also showed no environmental warnings in force, while the coastal small craft alert remained active through the day on Friday. The sequence of warnings left the main confirmed risks centered on slippery conditions in higher areas, reduced visibility in wintry showers and hazardous conditions at sea. The national forecast pointed to improving land conditions later on Friday even as rough marine weather persisted around the coast.