LAST UPDATE | 6 Mar 2023

AN ICE WARNING has come into effect with temperatures set to drop below freezing overnight.

Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow ice warning for the entire country, cautioning the public about “hazardous conditions due to freezing temperatures including icy stretches on roads and paths” and of “sleet or snow flurries in Munster overnight”.

The warning kicked in at 6pm and will last until 10am tomorrow.

A separate Status Yellow snow and ice warning has been issued for Northern Ireland that will come into effect from 9pm tonight and last until 10am tomorrow.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has advised road users to check local traffic and weather conditions before setting out on any journeys.

Motorists are advised to clear windows and mirrors before setting out and to use a screen scraper and de-icer. Hot water should not be used on the windscreen as it can crack the glass.

The RSA said motorists should slow down, use all controls delicately and leave extra distance between them and the vehicle in front.

They are also advised to avoid over steering, harsh braking and harsh acceleration, and to use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin. 

Cyclists and motorcyclists are advised to wear warm clothes and to be extra alert at all times.

Pedestrians are advised to wear appropriate footwear and to walk on the footpath. If there is no footpath, pedestrians should walk on the right-hand side of the road facing traffic.

The RSA has also urged pedestrians not to underestimate the danger of ice and to use extreme caution when approaching a footpath or a roadway covered in snow or ice.

Met Éireann forecaster Gerry Murphy has said tonight’s temperatures will fall to between -4 and -0 degrees “leading to a widespread sharp frost and some icy stretches, especially over the northern half of the country”. 

“Further south, outbreaks of rain will turn to sleet or snow for a time overnight in Munster leading to poor visibility and hazardous driving conditions,” Murphy said. 

Tomorrow will be a cold and bright day, followed by a “very cold night .. with widespread frost and some icy streches”, Murphy said. 

Outbreaks of sleet or snow may develop late in the night in Cork and Kerry, he said. 

“There is a lot of uncertainty in the forecast from midweek onwards, with some model runs bringing the boundary between the cold polar airmass and the milder tropical airmass northwards over the country, which could bring a spell of snow for a time ahead of the milder air,” the forecaster said. 

“The extent of this event and its impacts will become more evident by midweek, at which time further warnings will be issued if necessary.”

With reporting by Hayley Halpin