ALERT: Urgent cold weather and ice warnings in place in County Carlow over the weekend

Met Éireann have provided their daily weather forecast for County Carlow and surrounding areas.

With cold weather and ice warnings across the county for today with cold temperatures across the weekend.

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Firstly looking at Met Éireann for today:

"Frost and fog continuing to clear this morning. It will be dry and sunny in many areas. In the west and north there'll be scattered showers, a few possibly turning wintry. Highest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees in light to moderate westerly or variable breezes."

Tonight:

"Staying cold tonight and mainly dry with clear spells. There'll be a few well scattered showers near western and northern coasts, the odd wintry one. Lowest temperatures of -3 to +1 degrees, locally colder where patches of fog and freezing fog develop. There'll also be widespread frost and some ice forming once again."

Tomorrow:

"The frost and fog will clear through the morning and it'll be dry for a time in many areas with some sunny spells, especially further north. Rain will gradually spread from the southwest over the course of the day, becoming heavy at times, especially later and as it meets the cold air further inland, it'll turn to sleet and snow. A cold day with highest temperatures of just 1 to 6 degrees, with the higher temperatures along the south and southeast coasts, where the precipitation will fall mainly as rain. Winds will be mostly light easterly to begin, but will freshen through the day."

Tomorrow: 

"The frost and fog will clear through the morning and it'll be dry for a time in many areas with some sunny spells, especially further north. Rain will gradually spread from the southwest over the course of the day, becoming heavy at times, especially later and as it meets the cold air further inland, it'll turn to sleet and snow. A cold day with highest temperatures of just 1 to 6 degrees, with the higher temperatures along the south and southeast coasts, where the precipitation will fall mainly as rain. Winds will be mostly light easterly to begin, but will freshen through the day."

The weather advisory for the country reads as follows: 

Sleet and snow in places this weekend, with some disruption possible.

A spell of rain will spread northwards over Ireland during the course of Saturday, turning to sleet and snow in some areas. Rain, sleet and snow will continue for a time on Sunday before clearing eastwards into the Irish Sea.

Significant accumulations of snow are likely in some counties.

Potential Impacts:

• Hazardous travelling conditions

• Travel & service disruption

Public Safety Information - protective actions advised:

Weather conditions will be disruptive for travel throughout the warning timeframes. Low temperatures, ice, sleet and snow can make driving conditions hazardous, especially for the more vulnerable road users, e.g., cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and high sided vehicles. Road users should pay particular attention to the risk posed by ice, sleet and snow

The public should note that local conditions will vary across the country and consider those conditions. Any travel arrangements should be planned carefully in advance of setting out.

Pedestrians should be aware for the potential of slips, trips and falls.

Animal welfare provisions should be made during periods of low temperatures.

Carlow County Council's Homeless Services operates an extended Cold Weather Protocol from November 1st, 2024 to March 31st, 2025. With the assistance of funding provided by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and in accordance with the Regional Homeless Action Plan, Carlow County Council is operating a cold weather initiative for anyone that is homeless and rough sleeping. This scheme operates throughout the winter period and any person that is rough sleeping may contact Carlow County Council to avail of an overnight bed during the winter period.

Anyone that is rough sleeping should make contact with homeless services by email to homeless@carlowcoco.ie or during office hours phone 0599172496 . After office hours phone 059 9170300. If any member of the public sees a person rough sleeping they may report this and a member of the homeless services team will investigate. The homeless team will also actively carry out patrols in the Town areas and make contact with homeless people at risk during extreme weather.

Contact Details:

The contact number for Carlow County Council Out of Hours Assistance for Local Authority services of an urgent nature is 059 9170300.

Other emergency contact details include:

Fire 999/112,

Water and Wastewater (Irish Water) 1800 278 278

ESB 1800 372 999

Gas Networks Ireland 1800 205 050