Snow latest from Met Éireann on Status ORANGE forecast #sneachta
Met Éireann's latest weather forecast on the Status Orange snow event for Laois and Leinster warns that most of the snow will fall through a very cold night.
The forecast also warns that temperatures will dip to between zero and -4 degrees.
The forecaster has made no change to its Status Orange alert for significant accumulations of snow in Laois and Leinster counties. This has led to warnings from national emergency planners about the dangers faced by early morning commuter driving conditions and doubts over some schools opening.
The snow-ice warning is valid from midnight Thursday to 10am on Friday while an all-Ireland Satus Yellow snow ice alert will remain in force until midday Friday. MORE FORECAST DETAILS BELOW LINK.
Met Éireann National Forecast issued at 8.36pm on Friday, March 9 BELOW TWEET
Thursday night: Cold and windy to start with falls of sleet and snow in many areas leading to very poor visibility and hazardous road conditions. The sleet and snow will become confined to the eastern half of the country through the night. Turning drier further west with frost and ice developing under clear breaks. Lowest temperatures of -4 to 0 degrees, coldest in the west, with fresh to strong northerly winds gradually easing overnight.
Friday: Any remaining rain, sleet and snow in the east will quickly clear into the Irish Sea early tomorrow morning, leaving a cold and generally dry day with sunny spells. It will be cloudier in the southwest with the chance of an isolated shower. Daytime temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees in a light variable breeze.
Dry in many areas to begin on Friday night but with cloud gradually thickening from the southwest. Rain in the southwest will spread northeastwards over Munster and parts of Connacht and Leinster overnight, falling as a wintry mix of sleet and snow initially. Lows of -3 to +3 degrees, generally but locally colder in the northeast where snow is lying and skies remain clearest the longest. Light to moderate southeast breezes will be fresher near west and southwest coasts.
Saturday: Rain, sleet and snow will continue to extend northeastwards over the country on Saturday morning with transient accumulations across Connacht, Ulster and parts of Leinster before a clearance extends from the southwest during the afternoon and evening. Afternoon temperatures will range from 1 to 2 degrees in the north to 12 or 13 degrees in the southwest. Moderate and occasionally gusty southeast winds, fresh to strong near coasts, will veer west to southwest as the rain clears.
The last of the rain and sleet will clear the northeast early on Saturday night and most places will be dry with variable cloud and clear spells for a time. Cloud will thicken countrywide later in the night and patchy rain and drizzle will develop in the western counties towards morning. Moderate southwest winds will be fresh to strong near coasts. Minimum temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees will occur early on with temperatures ranging 4 to 8 degrees overnight.
Sunday: Becoming wet and windy. Rain will become widespread during the morning, before transitioning to showers in the afternoon and evening. Afternoon highs of 10 to 14 degrees in moderate to fresh and gusty southerly winds, strong near coasts. A windy night on Sunday with showers or longer spells of rain. Lows of 6 to 9 degrees generally, but 4 to 6 degrees in Ulster. Fresh to strong and gusty southwest winds with gales in some sea areas.
Monday: Scattered showers to begin, but becoming mainly dry with sunny spells for a time in the afternoon. Another spell of rain will arrive from the Atlantic towards evening. A windy or breezy morning with fresh to strong and gusty west to northwest winds easing light to moderate in the afternoon. Afternoon highs of 5 to 8 degrees in the north, 9 to 12 degrees further south.
Further Outlook: Unsettled with a mobile Atlantic regime predominating - wet and breezy spells alternating with short intervals of drier and brighter conditions. Temperatures generally trending near to above average.