Warning issued to motorists with icy weather likely to last until weekend

Motorists are being advised to set their alarms a few minutes early for the rest of this week

Motorists are being advised to set their alarms a few minutes early for the rest of this week to allow time to clear windscreens and travel slowly in foggy conditions.

It has been a frosty start to the day in many parts of the country, and a weather expert is predicting that the cold spell will last until the weekend at least.

“A few patches of fog on Tuesday morning but a lot more Wednesday morning,” said Alan O’Reilly, the man behind the Carlow Weather account on X (formerly Twitter).

“Frost also for many areas so set those alarm clocks a few minutes earlier for the rest of the week to give time to thaw out cars and allow extra time for fog,” he added.

“How long will this cold spell last? Up to the weekend at least. The latest ensembles here show a lot of uncertainty for next week with a chance of milder air moving in but also a chance of the cold hanging around.”

On the positive side, Met Éireann expects this morning’s “lingering” mist and fog to clear later, leaving a mostly dry day with spells of sunshine. Scattered showers will mostly be confined to the east and north of the country.

Tonight will also be mainly dry although isolated showers will occur in northern coastal areas, according to the national forecaster. Cloud will increase in the west overnight, bringing some patchy rain or drizzle.

The icy temperatures will return, however, dropping to between minus two and plus four degrees tonight, so we can expect frost and ice in some areas, along with widespread mist and fog.

Here’s the forecast for the rest of the week from Met Éireann:

Wednesday

Mist and fog will slowly clear and it will be a generally cloudy day. Some breaks in the cloud will result in sunny spells, with longer clear spells developing by evening. Many areas will stay dry but there will be patchy rain or drizzle, mainly in coastal areas. Highest temperatures of three to seven degrees in a light easterly wind.

Cloud and outbreaks of rain or drizzle will move southwards on Wednesday night but will linger near the south coast early on in the night. Some light rain and drizzle may move into the east later. Patches of mist and fog are likely here too. It will be cold with widespread frost and possible ice as temperatures drop to between minus three and plus one degrees, coldest in the north, in a light northerly wind.

Thursday

Thursday will be cold with temperatures only reaching three to six degrees. It will be mostly dry with sunny spells at first, apart from some lingering rain and drizzle on eastern coasts. Scattered showers will develop over Ulster and Connacht in the afternoon. A few showers are possible near the east coast too towards the evening. Some of the showers will be wintry, especially over higher ground. Light north to northwest winds.

Another cold night will follow, with widespread frost and potentially some icy patches. Scattered showers will continue over Ulster and Connacht, some wintry, possibly extending further south along the west coast through the night. Lowest temperatures of minus three to plus one degrees, in a light northerly or variable wind that will allow patches of mist and fog to form.

Friday

Overnight mist and fog will clear away in the morning. The first day of meteorological winter will be cold with a mix of sunny spells and showers. Most of the showers will be in the north and west and some will be wintry. Highest temperatures of three to six degrees in a light to moderate northwesterly wind.

Showers will continue to feed into western and northern coasts overnight, some wintery in the north. Otherwise clear spells with patches of mist and fog developing overnight. Lowest temperatures of minus three to zero degrees, in a light westerly wind.

Saturday

Another cold day. Mist and fog patches will clear away in the morning leaving sunny spells. Showers will become more widespread through the day from the west with cloudier conditions expected. Highest temperatures of three to six degrees in a light west to southwest wind.

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