ALERT: Kilkenny set to plummet to -8 degrees next week

Updated advice has been issued to the public ahead of the Met Éireann Orange Weather Warning for Snow and Ice this weekend in Kilkenny.

The advice is for this weekend, ahead of the plunge down to as low as -8 degrees in Kilkenny next week according to Met Eireann. 

Temperatures in parts of Kilkenny will plummet to a depth of -8 degrees next week. 

An Orange level snow-ice warning is in place for Carlow, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick, and Tipperary for 24 hours from 5pm on Saturday while a status yellow snow-ice warning is in place for all counties in Leinster and Connacht, as well as Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, and Waterford for 24 hours from 5pm on Saturday.

Significant snowfall accumulations are expected in those areas, forecasters at Met Eireann said, creating difficult travelling conditions and poor visibility.

People are being asked to check on vulnerable neighbours along with other vital advice.

• Check on elderly, vulnerable and isolated neighbours
• Keep your phone charged and take it with you on all journeys. In an emergency dial 999 or 112
• The Be Winter Ready website https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/aa78b9-be-winter-ready provides further advice on preparing for severe weather.
• Monitor Met Éireann forecasts and/or visit https://www.met.ie/ for the most up to date information. Information is available across social media platforms and other news media sources.
• ESB Emergency Services can be contacted at 1800 372 999. The public can monitor www.PowerCheck.ie.
• Uisce Éireann Customers can check their website and social media channels for updates and to get in touch with any issues or concerns via our 24/7 customer care centre at 1800 278 278. People can also sign up online to free text alert system to get regular updates about their local supplies - see www.water.ie.
• People are advised to conserve water, and visit https://www.water.ie for advice
• Farmers are advised to take all precautions when dealing with livestock and possibly working alone
• People are advised to prepare for this period of severe weather including ensuring their mobile phone is fully charged to enable communication.
• People travelling long journeys check weather/ road conditions, not just where they are starting from, but at their destination and along the route, as conditions may vary significantly.

Met Eireann forecaster Gerry Murphy said conditions had taken a “cold and sharp” turn and people should expect a “multi-hazard weather event” over the weekend and into next week.

He said there would be sleet and snow in many areas on Saturday evening and into Sunday.

“It will most likely fall as rain down the south coast but it must be said that the amounts of rain expected in the south and south-west are quite high, so it’s likely that we will see rainfall warnings, at least, in the south-west of the country,” Mr Murphy told RTE’s Radio One.

“Then, as that rain pushes up through the afternoon/evening, it turns more to sleet, as you go in the hours of darkness then turning more to snow – currently, it looks like – predominantly over the southern half of the country.

“Then over much of the Midlands, the west, perhaps tomorrow night early on.

“Counties in the north-east mightn’t fare too badly because there is an easterly wind.

“It’s very difficult to pinpoint but really as we go through tomorrow night into Sunday all areas can expect sleet or snow at some stage.”

Mr Murphy said it would not be clear until the weekend whether schools would open on Monday when they can see how much snow has accumulated.

“There are likely to be accumulations of snow in places on Monday morning coupled with a very severe frost as well.

“So there is the possibility that schools may not open but that will become more apparent as we go through the weekend.”

He said into next week, low temperatures will continue which will make it difficult for snow to melt.

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