Updated at 2.15pm
TEMPERATURES DROPPED TO -4 degrees last night – and forecasters are predicting the mercury will go even lower tonight.
Met Éireann has kept in place a “yellow alert” low-temperature warning until at least 10am tomorrow as it predicted “extremely cold” weather after dark this evening.
The temperature was expected to drop to between -1 and -6 degrees at night after reaching highs of only 3 or 4 degrees in most parts of the country during the day.
Met Éireann said it expected conditions to be cold and dry today after a “very frosty, icy start” – but at least the sun should stay out.
Tonight forecasters were predicting a “very severe” frost with icy patches.
“Fog will develop also and some pockets of freezing fog are likely, especially in parts of the midlands, north and east,” they said.
Below freezing. Yikes…
Temperatures fell to -4 degrees in both Co Galway and Co Tipperary early this morning, while Dublin Airport recorded a reading of -2 degrees.
In its latest update, AA Roadwatch said ice still persisted on the roads in many regions and it was causing dangerous driving conditions in 12 counties: Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo, Galway, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Laois, Carlow, Longford, Wicklow and Cork.
Gardaí also warned drivers to go slowly on the roads and increase braking distances.
Look out for the elderly
Meanwhile, Age Action called on people to look out for their elderly neighbours during the cold weather – which it said “can kill and does kill in Ireland”.
“The winter (is) a particularly challenging period for older people in particular,” spokesman Gerry Scully said.
Snow and ice make that challenge even greater as many older people may not be able to get out to buy food, fuel or medical supplies.”
Scully said people should check on older people living in their neighbourhoods to find out if they need anything as the temperatures fell.
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