Laois under Status Yellow snow weather warning after heavy spring #sneactha hits

Extensive snow across Laois has led Met Éireann to declare a Status Yellow weather warning for the county on what is proving to be a very wintry start to Spring in Ireland.

March 1, the meteorological first day of Spring, saw heavy snow showers in Laois with significant showers around the county town Portlaoise.

While there appeared to be little accumulation in the county, visibility has been impaired for road users in the county through which stretches of the M7 and M8 motorways run.

Laois commuters and people travelling through the county can expect hazardous conditions through the day and into Saturday due to freezing temperatures which has also led Met Éireann to issue an ice warning for the whole country.

The Status Yellow - snow-ice warning is now in place for Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wexford, Wicklow, Munster with Met Éireann saying a a band of rain will continue to move southwards, turning to sleet and snow in places.

It says the potential impacts are:

• Icy stretches on untreated surfaces
• Poor visibility
• Hazardous travelling conditions

The alert is valid from noon to 6pm on Friday.

A Status Yellow rain warning is also in place for Dublin, Louth, Meath and Wicklow. Met Éireann says there will be persistent rain, with a mix of sleet and snow at times leading to Localised flooding and hazardous travelling conditions

That alert is valid until 3am on Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, the Status Yellow Ice Warning for the country says Friday night will be cold with ice on untreated surfaces leading to hazardous travelling conditions. It is valid until 9am on Saturday.

Laois has so far escaped the worst of the conditions which have hit the northern half of the country where schools have been forced to shut with roads also undrivable in places.

As to the outlook Met Éireann says there'll ixed and unsettled weather for the start of Meteorological Spring with more wintry weather over the weekend. MORE BELOW TWEET.

Snow across Laois this morning as cold air digs south along with a weather front pic.twitter.com/qh0UhLc1IE

— LaoisWeather (@LaoisWeather) March 1, 2024

National Forecast issued at 10.27am on March 1.

Friday: Rain, sleet and snow across Connacht and much of Leinster will move southwards across the rest of the country this afternoon, turning increasingly to rain as it does so, except on higher ground. Hail and isolated thunderstorms are possible too. Drier conditions will spread from the north this afternoon. Becoming blustery too, as fresh to strong and gusty northerly winds develop. Cold, with afternoon highs of 3 to 7 degrees.

Remaining rain in eastern counties will become patchy and clear southeastwards overnight. Elsewhere, it'll be mainly dry with clear spells early on, but scattered showers will feed down from the north later, mainly affecting western and northern counties. Some of showers may be heavy with a chance of hail. Lowest temperatures of between of -1 and +3 degrees with some frost and icy patches possible. Moderate, occasionally fresh north to northwest winds, will be strong and gusty on western and northern coasts.

Saturday: A mix of sunny spells and showers, some heavy with a chance of hail. Afternoon highs of 5 to 8 degrees. Moderate to fresh northerly winds, will increase strong and gusty in west Connacht and west Munster for a time in the afternoon.

Showers will become more isolated on Saturday night and long clear spells will develop. Winds will back northwest and fall light to moderate with temperatures dipping to between -2 to +3 degrees. Frost and icy patches are possible.

SUNDAY: A bright day on Sunday with sunny spells and scattered showers, becoming isolated towards evening. Top temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees. Light to moderate westerly winds will gradually back southwest by evening and reduce light. Temperatures will fall quickly after dark on Sunday night under clear skies with frost and icy patches developing, and lows of -2 to +2 degrees. Cloud will thicken from the southwest overnight and temperatures will rise as winds back southeast. Outbreaks of rain will develop in Munster by morning.

MONDAY: Mostly cloudy with outbreaks of rain, heaviest and most persistent in the southern counties. Moderate to fresh and gusty easterly winds. Highs of 6 to 8 degrees. Further outbreaks of rain though Monday night, with some heavy falls, with sleet possible on high ground. Light to moderate variable winds inland will be fresh and gusty near some coasts. Lows of 2 to 5 degrees

TUESDAY: Current indications suggest rain will gradually clear northeastwards through the day with sunny spells developing. Highs of 7 to 10 degrees. Light to moderate westerly winds backing southerly later.

FURTHER OUTLOOK: Current indications suggest our weather will remain fairly mixed but relatively mild through midweek next week.