MOTORISTS have been warned to drive extremely carefully over the next few days as frost and snow will bring treacherous road conditions to parts of the country.
A "widespread dusting" of snow is expected tonight and tomorrow on the east, north, and north east coasts, according to Met Eireann. Overnight temperatures of minus 3 Celsius to minus 4 Celsius will bring widespread frost which will be severe in the west and midlands.
Snow is likely to lie on the ground and will make driving conditions hazardous in mid Ulster and north Leinster.
It will remain cold for the rest of the week, with daytime temperatures of 1 C to 4 C. there will be sleety showers today in coastal parts of south Leinster and Munster. Central, western and south western parts of the country will stay largely dry.
AA Roadwatch has advised motorists to use dipped headlights if driving in the snow. Drivers should keep to as high a gear as possible. If a car with front wheel drive goes into a skid the driver should steer out of it. If the car has rear wheel drive, the driver should steer into it.
A spokesman for AA Road watch said motorists driving in snowy conditions should carry a tow rope, a set of booster cables for jump starts, a torch, a blanket, Wellington boots, a spade and a solid wooden board to place under the wheel jack in case of a flat tyre.
Bus Eireann will operate normal weekday services today with a number, of cancellations of evening services to main centres. City services in Waterford will cease earlier than normal today.
A Sunday service will operate tomorrow with some alterations.
Normal weekday services with a number of alterations will operate on January 2nd.
Normal timetable services will resume again on January 3rd on all routes.
Dublin Bus will operate normal services on all non feeder routes today. The last buses will leave Dublin at 10 p.m.
A Sunday service will operate tomorrow on all non feeder routes. Feeder routes will not operate. The Nitelink service will operate tonight and tomorrow night. Normal services will operate from Thursday.
There will be a Saturday DART service today, ending at 9 p.m. Mainline rail services will operate to a reduced Sunday schedule. A Sunday DART service will be provided on New Year's Day.
Normal weekday services resume n January 3rd on InterCity, DART and suburban services, excluding Early Bird trains.