End of cold snap ‘in sight’ in Ireland
Temperatures are expected to climb from the low of minus 7C recorded in the early hours of Thursday.
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Your support makes all the difference.Irish leaders have indicated they are content with the handling of recent weather as the end of the cold snap is in sight.
Temperatures in parts of Ireland plunged to minus 7.5C in the early hours of Thursday, with weather warnings remaining in place until Friday.
The lowest temperature was recorded by Met Eireann in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, in central Ireland, while minus 7C was recorded in Athenry, Co Galway, and minus 6.7C in Oak Park, Co Carlow.
Thousands lost access to power and water at points during severe winter weather this week.
An orange weather warning for low temperatures and ice has been issued for 13 counties from 7pm on Thursday to 8am on Friday.
However Met Eireann has said milder weather will return this weekend.
Irish utility agency Uisce Eireann said the vast majority of the 40,000 people who suffered disruption to their water supply had been reconnected, adding that alternative water supplies have been available for areas still without access.
However, the body warned that there may be further disruption to services as frozen pipes can burst while thawing.
The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) met on Thursday, and in a statement said indications are that temperatures will slowly start to increase from tomorrow, with temperatures of 8-11C forecast by Sunday.
Keith Leonard, national director of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, said while Thursday night is to be bitterly cold, “we are reaching the end of the severe weather phase”.
“We are continuing to co-ordinate a cross-government response to ensure the most appropriate supports are happening at local level, and we remain particularly focused on getting those who are still without power or water reconnected as quickly as possible,” he said.
Ireland’s premier Simon Harris said he was content with the response.
He felt that Met Eireann had been pro-active and have been updating the population constantly.
“We’ve had a national co ordination team that met just after Christmas and on a daily basis since, and I must say I think they have done a great job and I’m very grateful to them for the very long hours they’ve worked, the multi agency approach and also civic society, community and voluntary groups, good Samaritans and others who have helped that national effort,” he said.
“When it comes to weather things can change, and particularly when it comes to things like snow it can be particularly hard to predict with exact accuracy and precision at all times but I think a good job was done.”
Tanaiste Micheal Martin said he felt significant warnings were issued.
“I think to be fair in certain parts of the country it was much more severe and perhaps people didn’t appreciate that it would be that severe,” he said.
“But I think there was sufficient warnings and there has been a strong response from many of the state agencies.”
An orange weather warning for low temperatures and ice for Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Munster and Connacht was in place until 11am on Thursday.
Another orange weather warning for low temperatures and ice was issued on Thursday morning for counties Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Cavan, Monaghan, Galway, Roscommon and Tipperary.
Travel disruption and delays and poor visibility are expected in affected areas for this warning which applies from 7pm on Thursday to 8am on Friday.
A yellow warning for low temperatures and ice covers all of Ireland until midday on Friday, with widespread frost, ice, lying snow and some patches of freezing fog expected. Potential travel disruption and poor visibility are also possible.
Meanwhile in Northern Ireland, a yellow warning for ice is in place across the region until 10am on Friday.
It comes after previous warnings for snow and ice and freezing fog expired on Thursday morning after a night when a low of minus 7C was recorded in Castlederg, Co Tyrone.
On Thursday, police urged motorists to reduce their speed and keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front when in freezing conditions and heavy fog.
The conditions have caused disruption to some transport services and some schools have closed.