Laois and Offaly Fall Under Status Orange Snow and Ice Warning

Friday, 3 January 2025 11:43

A Status Orange alert is going to be in place for six counties.

Laois and Offaly have been added to a list of six other counties under a Status Orange warning for snow and ice tomorrow.

The 24 hour effect comes into effect in Laois, Offaly Carlow, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary from 5pm tomorrow evening.

The majority of the country will be under a Status Yellow snow and ice warning from the same time, with a separate rain and snow alert kicking in for Cork and Kerry tomorrow at 1pm.

Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather, says there will be significant snowfall:

Joanna Donnelly from Met Éireann says they plan to issue more weather warnings over the coming days:

The Road Safety Authority is advising road users to be wary of treacherous conditions in the coming days.

Tips being offered by the RSA include checking tyres, clearing and de-misting windows and mirrors, and allowing extra time for journeys.

The organisations is also asking both motorists and pedestrians to consider whether or not a journey is necessary before setting off.

While Keith Leonard, from National Director of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, says:

“We are going to see difficult travel conditions for much of the country in the coming days. Driving conditions will be hazardous, even where roads are gritted – so I urge people to slow down, drive with caution, be aware of other road users and allow extra time for your journey. It’s important that drivers travelling longer journeys are aware of conditions right along their route, as the weather may vary significantly across different parts of the country. "Footpaths can also be extremely hazardous and slippery due to ice so please take extra care while walking.

“Public transport may also be affected by this spell of wintry weather, so I’d advise people to check with service operators for the latest updates in their area. “With regard to rough sleepers during this wintry spell, the Department is communicating with Regional Leads in relation to their Cold Weather Initiatives and has advised them of the expected conditions. Cold Weather Initiatives operate across all local authorities to provide additional emergency beds for rough sleepers where needed – ensuring that additional temporary beds can be brought into use across a range of existing services and facilities, for singles and couples who need them during periods of cold weather.

“Finally, I would urge all members of the public to take extra care with all activities and to check out the Met Éireann and Be Winter Ready websites for further updates and advice.”