Met Éireann has issued new weather warnings snow with a Status Yellow snow-ice warning covering 11 counties, taking effect Thursday night at 9pm ET. The warning, covering Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo and Wicklow, will run until 6am Friday ET and comes as separate nationwide wind and multi-county rain warnings remain active. Officials say the measures are in place to reduce the risk of difficult travel, spot flooding and poor visibility as blustery conditions move in.
Key details and timing
The Status Yellow snow-ice warning will come into effect at 9pm on Thursday ET and remain in place until 6am on Friday ET for the 11 named counties. A Status Yellow rain warning is currently in place for counties Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow and Connacht until 3pm on Thursday ET. A Status Yellow wind warning is in place nationwide until 6pm on Thursday ET. Expected impacts listed by the forecaster include difficult travelling conditions, spot flooding, poor visibility, and displaced debris or fallen branches in stronger winds.
Weather Warnings Snow: impacts and immediate reactions
Met Éireann warns that heavy downpours will be interspersed with dry, sunny spells and that temperatures will fall later as rain clears, increasing the risk of wintry showers on higher ground. Holly O’Neill, Met Éireann meteorologist, said, “It will be blustery across the country, but counties along the Atlantic coast will be the worst affected. “
O’Neill added, “We’re going to be seeing very strong and gusty southwesterly winds moving in across the country. ” She warned that the strongest gusts are likely along Atlantic coasts and parts of the northwest and south, and that “rain will turn heavy at times and there may be some spot flooding, poor visibility and difficult travelling conditions. “
Officials note that when the rain clears in the southeast this afternoon, winds will freshen and showers feeding in from the west could turn wintry on higher ground or in the northwest, though most areas will see only showers. These weather warnings snow are intended to alert people to the combined hazard from sleet or snow on top of wet roads and gusty winds.
What’s next
Authorities will monitor conditions through the overnight period; travellers should expect lingering impacts into the early hours of Friday ET and should plan for difficult driving in affected counties. The national forecaster has indicated unsettled conditions are set to continue into the weekend, and further updates on the Status Yellow notices will follow as the situation evolves. Keep local plans flexible while weather warnings snow remain in force.
