Early snow on high ground as cold snap set to intensify

TEMPERATURES ARE forecast to fall further over the coming days with the east suffering the biggest chill from later today and into tomorrow, Met Éireann has predicted.

Snow has already fallen in parts of the north and northwest, giving one of the earliest opportunities for snowman-making in several years.

Hugh Daly, duty manager with Met Éireann, said the average daily temperature at this time of year would be "about 11 degrees".

However, yesterday, "temperatures in Dublin for instance only got to a high of six degrees and then a shower came and brought it back down to three degrees".

Asked what was causing this early cold snap, he said: "Northerly winds. We are used really to southwesterly winds. When easterly winds come in from Thursday, it will feel even colder, particularly in the east where we won't be sheltered from the winds coming in straight off the Irish Sea."

He said we were in for a "deep, cold spell" for the rest of the week with snow possible on higher ground.

There had not been any direct reports of snow to Met Éireann, he said. However retired Met Éireann employee Brendan Flanagan was in contact with The Irish Times yesterday to report snow had fallen over the appropriately named Sliabh Sneacht in the Inishowen peninsula in Donegal.

"It is a lot earlier than usual, certainly for recent years," Mr Flanagan said. "The upper reaches of the mountain are dusted with snow now and it is snowing as we speak here on lower grounds.

"It won't sit though because we're in a maritime area and the ground is too warm. A fierce lot would have to fall before it would sit."

Nicola Hudson of AA Roadwatch said motorists should get up "about 10 to 15 minutes earlier than usual" this morning to allow sufficient time for cars to defrost properly.

"You don't want to be driving in an extremely cold car and also it's important that windscreens are de-iced correctly. Also getting up a little early will allow people to reduce speeds appropriately."

She said that with showers yesterday there was a "real danger of black ice".

She also said that with a prospect of sleet and hail, visibility would be reduced and she advised motorists to keep dipped headlights on throughout the day.

The forecast from Met Éireann is for it to remain very cold for the rest of the week and for most of the weekend, with frost at night.