HOUSEHOLDERS AND motorists have been warned to prepare for an arctic start to the new year with temperatures expected to plummet to as low as -10 degrees.
Met Éireann said there is no end in sight to the cold snap that has been continuing since early December and is forecasting more snow in some areas. After two days of heavy rain, falling as sleet and snow in some parts, New Year’s Eve will bring a change with dry, sunny conditions. Thereafter, a week of bitterly cold weather is forecast as polar air feeds down over Ireland.
With roads remaining icy in some counties, there were claims that county councils were cutting back on gritting services because of a lack of funding. However, the Department of the Environment said councils were “getting on with it” and it had no reports from local authorities of budget shortfalls.
Across the northwest, impassable local roads and cuts to water supplies have caused hardship for thousands. AA Roadwatch said roads were still very icy in parts of Ulster and Connacht, with snow and slushy conditions in Munster. Snow was reported yesterday in parts of the west and sleet was recorded at Dublin airport, but it was rainy in most areas.
Thousands of homes in Co Leitrim have been without water for several days and many people, especially those in isolated rural areas, have been stranded in their homes for almost a week because of the treacherous roads.
The large number of holiday homes and unoccupied investment properties in the county has exacerbated the water problem and Leitrim County Council has appealed to property owners to check buildings for leaks and burst pipes. As the council yesterday provided water tankers in the worst-hit areas, director of services John McGuinness said water consumption had risen by 35 per cent in recent days because of leaks and people leaving taps on in order to avoid frozen pipes. Water supplies are being turned off in the county from midnight to 8am because reservoir levels are so low.
Mr McGuinness estimated that up to 5,000 homes had their water supply interrupted in recent days while 2,000 householders had been left without running water for four days. In Sligo the worst-hit area was Ballymote where more than 100 houses were without water for four days.
Met Éireann said today’s temperatures will vary between one and five degrees. Occasional wintry showers are likely, some falling as snow.
For New Year’s Day, it said heavy snow showers are likely over Ulster. Sunny spells and scattered snow showers are possible over Connacht and Leinster, while in Munster it should remain largely dry.
Thereafter, the week is expected to stay largely dry, with daytime temperatures hovering around zero and night-time temperatures falling to between -5 and -10 degrees.
The first week of January will also see a period of very high spring tides, according to the Irish Coast Guard. It warned of the danger posed by higher tides and stronger than normal currents and also warned people to keep away from swollen or iced-over rivers.
Yesterday's northeasterly gale drove a fishing vessel up on rocks off Clogherhead, Co Louth. The vessel, Endurance, had no one on board at the time it broke free.
Roscommon Fine Gael TD Frank Feighan accused the Department of the Environment of failing to plan for the bad weather by providing local authorities with enough resources for road gritting. A department spokesman dismissed his claims, saying no local authority had been in touch to complain of a lack of funds for road gritting. “Mr Feighan, if he has a problem, should talk to his county councillors in Co Roscommon, who set the budget for the local authority,” he said.
A spokesman for the National Roads Authority said primary routes were in good condition throughout the country but secondary roads in counties Galway, Clare and Mayo were “not the best” because of ice or snow.
The adverse weather conditions have forced the cancellation of the annual Tom Brennan memorial road race in the Phoenix Park on New Year’s Day, organisers said.
LUNAR ECLIPSE... AND A BLUE MOON
THE OLD year is set to bid a spectacular farewell this evening with a lunar eclipse just hours before the end of 2009.
With clear though cold conditions likely in many parts of the country on New Year’s Eve today, viewing conditions for the partial eclipse of the moon should be good.
Part of the moon will go black between 7pm and 8pm this evening as it passes into the Earth’s shadow. The eclipse will peak at 7.20pm.
Ancient astronomers used to believe the sun and moon were being eaten by dragons during eclipses, which were often seen as bad omens, according to Astronomy Ireland.
It says the eclipse, which will be visible across Europe, Asia and Africa, is a fitting way to mark the end of the United Nations International Year of Astronomy.
This is the first time since 1656 that New Year’s Eve has coincided with a lunar eclipse.
This December 31st full moon is also a “blue moon”, as in the popular phrase, being the second full moon to occur in the same month.