Laois and rest of Ireland going to freeze as Met Éireann issues weather warning #sneachta

Met Éireann has issued its first weather warning for the cold  snap with all counties placed under a Status Yellow alert.

The forecaster has issued a low temperature ice warning for Ireland on Thursday which it says will lead to hazardous conditions.

"A sharp to severe frost with icy surfaces, as temperatures widely fall to - 4 degrees Celsius," says the forecaster.

The alert is valid from 10pm on Thursday, night to 10 am on Friday.

The warning comes on top of a week long Winter Weather Advisory for Ireland from Met Éireann. 

It warns of a very cold this week as an Arctic airmass sets in, bringing sharp to severe frosts and icy stretches on roads. Showers of hail, sleet, and snow will occur during the second half of the week.

The Advisory is valid until late Saturday night. Met Éireann says little change expected for Sunday and the early days of next week, while it will be mostly dry it will be raw with fog persisting in some areas, possibly up to the middle of the week. MORE BELOW TWEET.

Look out for the vulnerable around you through the next few days as temperatures continue to fall further during this week.

Temperatures will be below freezing at night so watch your step when out & about. ❄️☃️ ❄️ pic.twitter.com/VVBElveYC8

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) December 5, 2022

National Forecast issued at 11.47 am on Tuesday, December 6.

Tuesday: Most areas staying dry with spells of low winter sunshine, however it will be a little cloudier near southern and eastern coasts with possible showers. Rather cold with highest temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees, in light variable mainly northeasterly breezes.

Very cold at night with a widespread sharp frost and icy stretches. Generally dry though isolated showers will occur, some wintry in the northwest later. Some mist and fog will also develop across the south midlands and midwest. Lowest temperatures of -3 and +1 degrees.

Wednesday: A cold day with highest temperatures of only 2 to 4 degrees. Dry for the main with crisp spells of low winter sunshine, however a few well scattered showers will feed into the north and west, with the odd wintry one falling to lower levels.

There will be a widespread sharp frost with lows of -3 to +1 degrees with ice on untreated surfaces. Wintry showers will move southwards over the northern half of the country overnight and temperatures will rise marginally with falls of rain, sleet and snow, in some areas, that may lead to some very icy conditions.

Thursday: Very cold with temperatures only nudging above freezing in some areas with high of between +1 and +4 degrees generally in light northerly breezes. Scattered outbreaks of rain, sleet, and possibly some snow over higher ground, will gradually push down over the south of the country. Sunny spells and some scattered wintry showers will follow. They will become confined to coastal parts through the afternoon.

Another bitterly cold night with a widespread sharp to severe frost and some icy patches. Minimum temperatures of -4 to -1 degrees in light northwest to west breezes. Most areas will be dry and clear, but there will be a few wintry showers at times, mostly near northern coasts.

Friday: Staying very cold with temperatures once again struggling to get to +1 to +4 degrees in light westerly breezes. Most of the country will remain dry and quite sunny, but wintry showers will persist near coasts, especially in the west.

Another widespread frost is expected on Friday night with a mix of cloud and clear spells as lowest temperatures dip to between -3 and -1 degrees generally. Wintry coastal showers will continue near western coasts. While a rogue wintry shower or two can't be ruled out elsewhere, it will mostly be a dry night. Fog, or freezing fog will develop as the night goes on, becoming quite dense through the midlands by morning.

Saturday: Very cold on Saturday with some parts of the midlands not expected to rise above zero as fog persists. Elsewhere generally only getting to +1 to +3 degrees. Apart from the chance of coastal showers in the north and west, it will be a dry day with sunny spells. These becoming confined as the fog is expected to become more widespread through the afternoon and evening.

Further outlook: Little change expected for Sunday and the early days of next week, while it will be mostly dry it will be raw with fog persisting in some areas, possibly up to the middle of the week.