A VERY cold week is in store with temperatures well below freezing at night, dipping to -5 degrees in places, and the possibility of snow from tomorrow, according to Met Éireann.
While most places will be dry today, a severe weather front which has been passing over Britain in recent days could hit the country tomorrow bringing with it rain and sleet and possibly snow as it moves north over the country.
Several centimetres of snow could fall overnight tomorrow, and widespread frosts are likely, but conditions will not be as severe this week as in January.
“Last time we had temperatures as low as -12 and -13 at night; it was desperately cold. The next few days will be cold, but it won’t be as bad as that, more like lows of -3 to -5 at night,” Met Éireann forecaster Pat Clarke said.
Even if the country escapes heavy snow this week, temperatures will remain very low, with frosty nights and daytime temperatures reaching just 6-7 degrees at best. Harsh easterly winds are likely to make it feel even colder.
Several places experienced falls of snow, some of it heavy, over the weekend. Fog and icy roads led to dangerous driving conditions in may areas. The west, northwest and high ground in Co Wicklow were worst affected.
Poor weather forced the closure of Knock airport. Inbound Ryanair flights at lunchtime from Bristol and East Midlands had to be diverted to Shannon. An inbound Aer Lingus flight from Gatwick was also diverted to Shannon. A bmiBaby flight scheduled to touch down at Knock at 2.50pm was cancelled.
Overnight temperatures, which dipped as low as -4 at Knock airport, caused problems for motorists right across the region particularly in north Mayo and west Roscommon.
Snow and ice in Letterkenny and around Glenties in Donegal made for difficult driving conditions. Roads were also dangerous in Wexford due to fog and black ice particularly near New Ross. Motorists driving in the Ennis area of Co Clare also experienced difficulties, while snow in Co Kerry closed the Conor Pass near Dingle on Saturday.