Motorists urged to take care after snowfalls in west of Ireland

Hazardous conditions reported as Met Éireann advises cold spell to continue until Tuesday

A car drives along a snow covered road near Knock in Co Mayo. A Met Éireann cold weather advisory note says the wintry conditions are set to continue at least until Tuesday afternoon. Photograph: Paul Mealey
A car drives along a snow covered road near Knock in Co Mayo. A Met Éireann cold weather advisory note says the wintry conditions are set to continue at least until Tuesday afternoon. Photograph: Paul Mealey

Gardaí have warned motorists to be mindful of hazardous road conditions if driving, with snow falling in some parts of the west of Ireland.

Counties including Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo experienced snowfalls on Monday and, in a Twitter post accompanying images of snow covered roads, the force said: “Gardaí would like to remind motorists who may be driving in hazardous conditions to be extremely careful, reduce speed & always maintain a safe driving distance.”

Motorists are advised to drive with particular care on the N17 Sligo to Tuam road, and around Westport and Ballyhaunis in Co Mayo.

Ireland West Airport in Knock said heavy snow had impacted on its flight schedule on Monday afternoon and that its operations team was working to clear the runway.

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Met Éireann issued an advisory note warning of cold weather and the forecaster said the wintery conditions are set to continue at least until Tuesday afternoon. Further showers of hail, sleet and snow are expected in Connacht and Ulster and on higher ground elsewhere.

Two status yellow marine warnings were also issued by for gale force winds of up to force 8 on all Irish coastal waters and a small craft warning is also in place.

The outlook for Monday night notes a continued risk of hail and thunder and further falls of snow in some areas.

The showers will become isolated in eastern counties later in the night but further wintry falls are expected across the western half of the country. It is expected to be cold and frosty with a high risk of ice in minimum temperatures of -2 to 2 degrees.

Met Éireann said Tuesday would start cold and frosty with icy stretches on untreated surfaces and some lying snow. There will be a mix of sunshine and scattered wintry showers, which will be more frequent over the western half of the country. Temperatures are expected to reach highs of 4 to 7 degrees.

The outlook for Tuesday night is for a mostly moderate west to southwest wind, temperatures of between zero and 2 degrees and mainly dry conditions for much of the country while showers continue in Ulster.

On Wednesday temperatures will rise to between 7 and 9 degrees.

Tim O'Brien

Tim O'Brien

Tim O'Brien is an Irish Times journalist