Stronger weather warnings considered in Ireland amid ‘extremely cold’ conditions

Forecasters are considering new weather warnings as an “extremely cold” snap continues in Ireland.

Temperatures are expected to plummet to as low as -8C while a Status Yellow low temperature and ice warning applies to the entire Republic of Ireland until the end of Thursday.

Irish national weather agency Met Eireann issued the advisory, warning that there will be very cold nights with widespread frost, ice and lying snow.

The Electricity Supply Board said 10,000 of its customers were without power by 7am on Tuesday.

Temperatures are expected to “struggle” to get above freezing during the day with transport disruption and hazardous travelling conditions.

A separate Yellow level warning for snow and ice for the entire country was due to expire at noon on Tuesday.

However, Met Eireann forecaster Andrew Doran-Sherlock said it was “quite likely” the agency will announce an Orange level warning for some regions on Tuesday.

Tuesday is set to have the highest temperatures of just 0 to 5 degrees.

Mr Doran-Sherlock said it will be “bitterly cold” overnight into Wednesday, adding that a few wintry showers will affect parts of the north and west.

The lowest temperatures are expected to be -8C to -3C degrees generally, although it could dip even lower in some regions, with a severe frost and icy stretches.

The agency is also warning of the risk of freezing fog developing over the coming days.

Temperatures are predicted to increase through Thursday night and Friday as rain, sleet and snow moves north-eastwards over the country, becoming milder for the weekend.

The cold snap had seen tens of thousands of people without water and electricity, with crews continue to work to restore access to the services for the remaining affected homes and businesses on Tuesday.

The severe weather also prompted the Health Service Executive to cancel non-urgent appointments in the south-west of the country.

The Irish Defence Forces were deployed on Monday to assist with transporting patients and essential healthcare workers amid hazardous conditions.

Some public transport services have been curtailed and cancelled while schools in the worst-affected parts of the country also took the decision to close, with the situation being assessed on a morning-by-morning basis.

A Status Yellow snow-and-ice warning was put in place for Northern Ireland by the UK Met Office, expiring at 11am.