Road users are being advised to take care as cold weather over Ireland is set to continue through the rest of the week, with a Status Yellow Snow and Ice warning issued for the entire country.
The warning came into effect at 3am and will remain in place until 11pm, with rain, sleet and snow spreading northwards across Ireland, accompanied by strengthening easterly winds.
Met Éireann said accumulations of snow are expected in many areas along with icy conditions leading to hazardous driving conditions, poor visibility and possible travel disruption.
A separate Status Yellow Low Temperature/Ice warning will also be in place for Ireland from 9pm tonight until 10am on Friday, with widespread icy stretches likely.
A Status Yellow Snow-Ice warning will be in place for Leinster, Cavan and Monaghan from 11pm tonight until 7am on Friday with sleet and snow clearing eastwards and further accumulations of snow expected.
The Government said the National Emergency Coordination Group will not convene today.
However, a spokesperson said the Department of Housing's National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management Crisis Management Team will continue to liaise with Met Éireann to monitor the evolving weather situation.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Met Éireann forecaster Gerry Murphy: "There will be severe frost with icy conditions and travel disruption possible."
"There will be falls of rain, sleet and snow in many parts of the country" Mr Murphy said.
"Temperatures will gradually become milder over the weekend," he added.
V cold this morning🥶 with frost & icy stretches❄️, especially over the northern half of the country.
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) March 8, 2023
Rain🌧️, sleet & light snow🌨️ in Munster this morning will extend into S Leinster this afternoon.
Brighter & drier further north with isolated showers🌦️.
Highs🌡️ of 3 to 6°C pic.twitter.com/BZnoz9avtC
UK's coldest night of the year as -15.2C recorded in Scottish Highlands
More sleet and snow is expected across southern England and south Wales while scattered snow and hail showers will impact Scotland's northern coasts as the Arctic blast intensifies.
Temperatures at Kinbrace in the Highlands dropped to -15.2C, making it the coldest night of the year so far, the UK Met Office said.
Early morning radar showed an area of rain moving in from the south and west which was starting to turn increasingly to sleet and snow as it pushed north and east.
It's a very chilly start to Wednesday for many of us
— Met Office (@metoffice) March 8, 2023
Kinbrace in Scotland dopped to -15.2 Celsius overnight, making it the coldest night of the year so far 🥶 pic.twitter.com/f7ovqgG6T6
The conditions, which have been attributed to an Arctic blast, are expected to bring more snow and ice throughout the UK, the Met Office said.
The forecasting body's chief meteorologist, Matthew Lehnert, said the weather could cut off rural communities in the north and impact travel over the next few days across southern England and south Wales.
A number of national severe warnings for snow and ice were issued, with the Met Office saying further warnings, or updates to the current warnings, are "very likely".
