A Status Orange Low Temperature and Ice Warning has been issued for Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, and Connacht, including Dublin, beginning at 6 PM today. This warning will remain in effect until 11 AM tomorrow. Additionally, much of the country will experience Status Orange warnings at various times throughout the day. Counties such as Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Meath, Offaly, Longford, Wicklow, Cavan, Monaghan, Munster, and Connacht are already under Status Orange alerts, which are likely to persist.
The cold snap is expected to last until at least next Saturday, with meteorologists predicting extreme cold conditions to continue into the second week of January. A nationwide Status Yellow Low Temperature and Ice Warning remains in place until Friday afternoon.
Last night, temperatures across Ireland ranged between -3°C and -5°C, with the lowest recorded at -5.7°C in Gurteen, County Tipperary. Mullingar reported a low of -4.9°C, while temperatures dropped to -4°C in Claremorris, County Mayo.
Snow Accumulation Brings Disruption
In many parts of the midlands, snow from recent days remains unmelted, severely impacting daily life. Roads and backyards are buried under layers of snow, leaving parents at home with children as schools remain closed. Despite the disruption, some residents have found joy amidst the snow. Servatius Antonius, a resident of Elton, Limerick, celebrated by constructing Ireland’s largest snowman, measuring an impressive 23 feet tall. Snowmen, both large and small, have been built across the country as communities find creative ways to embrace the weather.
Prime Minister’s Appeal for Vigilance
Prime Minister Simon Harris has urged the public to remain vigilant over the next 48 hours as temperatures are expected to plunge to as low as -8°C. The Prime Minister emphasised that such low temperatures have not been experienced in recent memory.
Emergency services are on high alert, particularly in counties such as Kerry, Cork, Limerick, and Tipperary, which have been hardest hit by the snowfall and extreme cold. Harris reassured the public that the defence forces and emergency teams are prepared to address the challenges posed by the severe weather.
Impact on Schools and Transport
While most schools across the country remained open yesterday, some primary and post-primary schools in counties heavily affected by the adverse weather—such as Kerry, Tipperary, West Limerick, North Cork, and Laois—have opted to close. Local school management has been granted discretion to make closure decisions based on local conditions.
In many regions, school transport services have been disrupted, leading to class cancellations. The Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) announced that post-primary schools in Kerry, Tipperary, and Laois would remain closed today. Several ETB schools in West Limerick, North Cork, parts of Carlow and Kilkenny, and along the Wicklow border have already been closed since yesterday.
Primary schools in Kerry, Limerick, and Tipperary that initially planned to reopen today may reconsider their decision in light of the updated weather alerts. The Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) indicated that primary schools in Kerry are unlikely to reopen before Friday.
The ETBI emphasised that individual schools would continue to assess their local conditions this morning and notify parents accordingly. Parents are advised to follow communications from their child’s school for updates.
As the extreme weather persists, the public is urged to prioritise safety and limit travel to essential needs only.
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