Cork and Kerry have just had their weekend weather warnings updated – with the counties now facing a 24-hour Status Orange Warning for Rain and Snow.
The updated warning was issued today and remains in effect from 5 pm on Saturday, January 4 to 5 pm on Sunday, January 5. It was previously announced that Cork was under a Status Yellow Ice warning, with temperatures set to dip as low as -5 degrees overnight.
Now Cork is also set to be battered by heavy sleet and possibly snow, with significant accumulations expected, especially overnight. Met Eireann has warned of the following impacts that will come as a result of these treacherous weather conditions:
- Very difficult travelling conditions
- Poor visibility
- Travel disruptions and delays to public transport (air, rail, bus)
- Difficult conditions underfoot
- Animal welfare issues
Motorists are advised to exercise extreme caution and only make necessary journeys. Not only will freezing conditions make roads slippery and dangerous at the weekend, but it’s also expected that they may not thaw fully until late next week.
It was previously speculated that extreme weather at the weekend may delay the re-opening of schools after the Christmas holidays, with the upgrading of the warning to Status Orange making this delay more likely. Schools are set to reopen on Monday, with individual schools having the final say on the decision of whether or not they delay this.