Road users are advised to take extra care on Monday morning with “hazardous conditions” on untreated surfaces around the country and a cold weather warning in place nationwide.
AA Roadwatch urged drivers to stick to main roads where possible and to take "particular care on secondary local roads", which are less likely to be gritted. The Met Éireann status yellow low temperature and ice warning will remain in place until 10am on Monday with temperatures ranging between -2 and -5 degrees. Monday morning will be "bitterly cold and icy with hazardous conditions on untreated surfaces", the forecaster has said.
AA Roadwatch reminded drivers to fully de-ice their vehicle before setting out and advised road users to “slow down, avoid harsh manoeuvres and keep well back from whoever’s in front” as it can take 10 times longer to stop a car on icy roads.
Drivers in Donegal around the Inishowen peninsula area should take "extreme caution" given the icy conditions while road users in Cork and Kerry, particularly at the county bounds between Ballyvourney and Clonkeen, should also be extremely careful, AA said.
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Very icy conditions were reported on Monday morning around Killarney, including the N22 Bypass Road, the N71 Muckross Road and the N72 Ring of Kerry.
In Wicklow, the Sally Gap and Wicklow Gap have both been closed due to treacherous conditions and gardaí have advised that the public avoid all upland areas due to icy conditions.
In Kildare, very icy road conditions have been reported on routes around Athy, particularly on the N78, the Carlow Road and the Kilcullen Road.
Monday's frost, ice and patches of freezing fog are due to slowly clear through the morning with dry weather in most of the country and spells of sunshine. There will be a few rain and hail showers in west Connacht and north Ulster with cloud increasing from the west during the afternoon and rain developing in west Munster and Connacht on Monday evening.
Daytime temperatures will range from 3 to 7 degrees.
Conditions will be cold again on Monday evening although milder than the previous night with lowest temperatures reaching -1 to 3 degrees. Tuesday is due to be wet and rainy with considerably milder temperatures ranging between 8 and 11 degrees.
