Temperatures set to rise through week after latest snowfall

Parts of Wicklow remain inaccessible following unseasonably cold conditions

South African family Cerys, Jennah and Eryn, with their mother Carmen and father Dylan, at Powerscourt Gardens, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins
South African family Cerys, Jennah and Eryn, with their mother Carmen and father Dylan, at Powerscourt Gardens, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins

A status yellow weather warning for freezing overnight temperatures across the country will remain in place until 9am on Tuesday.

Temperatures fell as low as -5 on Monday night following a weekend of heavy snow. The unseasonably cold weather, which brought snow and ice to many parts of Leinster and Munster, began improving on Monday with sunny spells and dry conditions. However, the cold weather is set to continue on Tuesday night with values set to hit -3 in some places. Daytime temperatures on Tuesday will be milder, reaching 7 to 8 degrees.

These warmer temperatures, which are in line with expected March weather, will continue through the week. On Wednesday, values will reach between 9 and 11 degrees with some patchy rain in northern countries. But most of the country will remain bright and dry with sunny spells. Temperatures will remain above freezing on Wednesday night.

Warmer temperatures, which are in line with expected March weather, are expected through the week Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times
Warmer temperatures, which are in line with expected March weather, are expected through the week Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times

More unsettled weather will begin to spread on Thursday, bringing rain across the country. Friday will also be marked by outbreaks of rain with, but the weekend is set to be mostly dry.

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Heavy snow across parts of the east caused travel disruption and led to cancellations in many places over the weekend, including the St Patrick’s festivities in the capital. The festival’s Bank Holiday Monday events were able to go ahead as planned.

In Wicklow, the Sally Gap and the Kilmacanogue/Roundwood Road remained impassable due to snowfall.

Bus transfers between Limerick Junction and Waterford continued to operate on Monday due to flooding on the rail line near Clonmel. Two Dublin bus routes also remained closed on Monday as a consequence of snow: route 65 which operated to Blessington only and route 44B which did not serve Glencullen.

AA Roadwatch has urged drivers to continue to take extra care on the icy roads and to remember that it takes up to 10 times longer to stop a car in ice or snow.

Sorcha Pollak

Sorcha Pollak

Sorcha Pollak is an Irish Times reporter specialising in immigration issues and cohost of the In the News podcast