OUTLOOK:SNOWY CONDITIONS and freezing temperatures will continue until at least Wednesday of next week, with further record temperatures expected tonight, experts at a severe weather briefing warned yesterday.
The National Emergency Response Committee said that while problems to date have been mainly transport-related, they expect further issues to emerge in other sectors as the cold spell continues.
Committee chairman Seán Hogan said Government agencies were working closely with local authorities and the Ministers for Transport, Environment and Defence were being briefed on an ongoing basis. Mr Hogan said the State had adequate stocks of salt but they were “monitoring and managing” the supply carefully.
He asked people and businesses to clear footpaths in front of their premises, and said the issue of liability did not arise when snow was cleared and deposited in a safe and sensible way.
Met Éireann weather forecaster Evelyn Cusack said a shift from an Arctic to a Siberian airflow over Ireland would result in more record freezing temperatures early this morning and tonight.
She said that although there was a slight rise in temperatures on Tuesday they dropped back yesterday, and she was expecting air temperatures of at least -10 degrees with a “high chance of new records” tonight.
She said there would be a slight rise in temperatures tomorrow as a different weather pattern moved across the country, bringing rain or sleet before the cold weather returned at the weekend. Met Éireann is not expecting much snow over the weekend and daytime temperatures may rise to 3 degrees, leading to a slight thaw.
Seán O’Neill of the National Roads Authority said the national supply of salt stocks stood at 50,000 tonnes yesterday, with a further 20,000 tonnes stored at regional depots.
He said not every road in the country would be covered as the main focus was on national primary and secondary routes. The country was currently using 3-4,000 tonnes daily, with some areas taking two to three times the normal amount. He said management of the supply was “event located”, and described the logistics of moving the salt as “critical”.
WEATHER WATCH FORECAST
TODAY: Very cold and icy with sleet and snow over eastern and northern counties, Temperatures plummeting between -5 and -12 degrees overnight.
TOMORROW: Rain in the west turning to sleet or snow as it spreads across the country. Temperatures higher along coasts in the west with most of the country remaining cold. Widespread frost tomorrow night.
SATURDAY: Mainly dry apart from some showers along the west and north coast. Top temperatures of between 2 and 4 degrees around the country. Return of widespread severe frost on Saturday night, especially over the south and east of the country.
