Temperatures fell below zero across much of Ireland overnight, with snow falling in some areas, as several Met Éireann weather warnings came into effect.
Status orange weather warnings remain in place for counties Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway, Cork and Waterford until midday, with yellow warnings for low temperatures and ice in place across the State.
Siobhán Ryan, a forecaster with Met Éireann, said the weather had unfolded “pretty much as was forecast”.
“We have got lying snow across many parts of the midlands and west and particularly over Mayo and Galway,” she told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
Ireland weather: Snow and ice warnings in effect across Ireland with significant snowfall in some areas
Orange weather warning remains in place for six counties with ‘significant snowfall’ expected
Ireland weather: Orange warnings issued for six counties with ‘heavy’ snowfall expected
Ireland weather: Multiple low temperature warnings issued by Met Éireann with chance of snow
“Actually, the wintry mix and sleet and snow is currently mainly in over the southwest and the south of Ireland and it’s still transitioning into snow over parts of the south of Munster at present. And there are some pools of heavy water in across southern most fringes.”
Fallen trees, frost, ice and spot flooding have been reported across the south, particularly in Cork, where there was heavy rain overnight, leaving roads “treacherous”.
In Mayo, the Windy Gap road was closed on Wednesday night due to heavy snowfall, while roads elsewhere have become “impassable”.
Local authorities in affected areas urged “extreme caution”, with priority routes gritted overnight and again this morning.
Gardaí have warned motorists in Cork in particular, that current road conditions on the M8 near Watergrasshill are dangerous amid several road collisions across the country so far this morning, including on the M8 near Mitchelstown, Co Cork.
Other early morning collisions have been reported including two on the M6 between Loughrea and Athenry in Galway, and one on the M11 between Enniscorthy and Ferns in Wexford, while a lorry became stuck between Moycullen and Oughterard in Galway, blocking the N59.
Gardaí said the jackknifed lorry has appropriate diversions in place.
Roads in some areas including in Galway and Mayo remain impassable, while elsewhere, several routes approaching Dublin city, including the M1 and M3 are congested and experiencing delays, with reports of slow moving traffic on the M50 heading southbound.
Some public transport services were impacted early on Thursday, with Bus Éireann advising commuters to use the Transport for Ireland phone app to get up to date information. Irish Rail said trains were operating on all routes as of Thursday morning, though there were some weather-related delays.
Separately, more than 15,000 homes and businesses are without power as of Thursday morning, according to ESB.
The vast majority of power outages are along the southwest and west of the country, spanning Kerry, Clare, Galway and Mayo.
More than 2,000 in Oranmore, Co Galway, almost 3,000 in Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, and more than 3,200 in Castlebar, Co Mayo, are without power.
A status orange warning is covering counties Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Galway until midday, where the forecaster warned of significant snowfall accumulations. Met Éireann said this could lead to very difficult travelling conditions and disruption, poor visibility, difficult conditions underfoot and animal welfare issues.
A separate status orange alert is in place for counties Cork and Waterford until midday, where heavy rain could transition to sleet and snow. This is expected to create very difficult travelling conditions and disruption, poor visibility, difficult conditions underfoot, animal welfare issues and a potential for flooding.
A status yellow low temperature and ice warning is in place across the State until midday, with very cold conditions expected leading to widespread frost and icy stretches. Met Éireann said this would lead to hazardous conditions on roads and paths and some travel disruption.
Another status yellow alert is in place for counties Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wexford, Wicklow, Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Westmeath, Longford and all of Munster. This could lead to hazardous travelling conditions, poor visibility, travel disruption and animal welfare issues.
A yellow ice warning has also come into effect for much of Northern Ireland with icy stretches leading “to some difficult travelling conditions” in counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, Tyrone and Derry, the UK Met Office said.
Taoiseach Simon Harris, in a post on X, encouraged members of the public to heed the weather warnings and ensure they take all the necessary steps over the coming days.
Met Éireann said “wintry outbreaks of snow, sleet, rain will clear most areas by midmorning, and southern counties” by midday on Thursday.
“While sunshine will develop, a few scattered wintry showers will follow into Atlantic counties. Icy stretches will linger through the day in places. Highest temperatures of just 1 to 4 degrees in chilly northerly winds, brisk across Munster,” it said.
“[Thursday night] will be very cold with widespread frost and icy stretches. Scattered wintry showers of rain, sleet and snow will occur with clearest skies across the midlands and southeast. Lowest temperatures of -4 to +1 degrees in moderate westerly winds.”
Conditions will improve on Friday, which is to be mostly dry with spells of sunshine after a frosty and icy start. “A few well scattered wintry showers will occur early on too with a dusting of snow in places. Highest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees in moderate southwest to west winds.”
The weather is to be very unsettled over the weekend with wet and windy and possibly stormy conditions forecast. However, temperatures are to become milder.
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