Motorists have been urged to take "extreme care" as widespread ice was causing slippery conditions on roads across the country on Thursday evening, while Met Éireann has issued a status yellow weather warning for low temperatures and ice.
The forecaster said it would be cold on Thursday night with minimum temperatures of 0 to -4 degrees, warning that ice will form on untreated surfaces. The warning will be in place until 11am on Friday.
AA Roadwatch said motorists should take “extreme care” if driving on a slippery surface, reduce speed, leave extra space to brake, and to keep manoeuvres gentle. “Stick to main routes where possible as they are more likely to have been gritted,” it said.
In Kerry, the local Short Mountain Rd between Castlemaine and Tralee is currently closed due to icy conditions.
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In Wicklow, gardaí have warned motorists to avoid the Sally Gap and Wicklow Gap unless "absolutely essential" as road conditions are "treacherous".
Fog has also been reported around Kilkenny, Carlow and in the Naas area of Kildare. AA Roadwatch urged motorists to slow down and use fog lights in affected areas, and to remember to turn them off afterwards.
Met Éireann said scattered wintry showers will continue on Thursday evening mixed with clear spells, while it will be driest across the midlands and Leinster. Northwest breezes will be light to moderate. Further frost will set in after nightfall.
It will be very cold again on Thursday night, with widespread frost and ice. Many areas will be dry and clear but there will be a few wintry showers in the north, and a few hail or snow showers may drift in to affect some Irish Sea coastal areas.
There will be lowest temperatures of -1 to -3 degrees, plunging to -4 in the midlands, with fog forming in some areas. Northerly breezes will be light to moderate.
Friday and the weekend
There will be widespread frost and ice to start on Friday with temperatures struggling to reach afternoon highs of just 1 to 3 degrees. There will be some sunny spells, but a few wintry showers will affect north Connacht, Ulster and possibly coastal parts of Leinster.
Light to moderate northerly winds will be strong on southeastern coasts early in the day. A “severe frost” will set in quickly after dark on Friday evening with icy stretches on Friday night.
It’ll be predominantly dry with clear skies and just a few patches of freezing fog. It will be a cold night however, with minimum temperatures of -7 to -3 degrees in mostly light, variable winds.
On Saturday, frost and ice will slowly clear to leave a mostly dry day with sunny spells. However, it’ll be cloudier in the northwest with the chance of a little patchy rain there. After an extremely cold start maximum afternoon temperatures will range 2 to 5 degrees.
There will be some patches of light rain or drizzle in the west and north on Saturday night but it will be dry in most areas with some clear spells. Minimum temperatures will range from -2 to 4 degrees.
It will be coldest in the south with another fairly widespread frost away from Atlantic coastal areas.
Many areas will be dry on Sunday with a mix of cloud and some bright spells. There will be patches of rain drifting in to affect Atlantic coastal counties at times with perhaps more persistent rain on the north coast.
Maximum temperatures will range from 5 to 8 degrees in moderate west or southwest winds.
