Ireland’s severe cold snap appears to be nearing its end, though temperatures still plunged to -6.6C overnight in Mount Dillion, Roscommon, with other areas like Ballyhaise, Co Cavan, and Dunsany, Co Meath also recording lows of -6.3C.
Met Éireann’s Head of Forecasting Eoin Sherlock indicated that the end of the current yellow weather warning should mark the “end of the spell of weather we had in the last week or so.” While Friday remains cold with widespread frost and black ice, a gradual warming trend is expected to begin, with temperatures rising to between 7C and 11C by Sunday.
According to The Irish Examiner, the cold snap has significantly impacted shopping habits, with demand for milk, butter, and eggs surging by 147% in areas under orange warnings. SuperValu reported selling an additional 100,000 loaves of bread over the weekend, while sales of heating fuel also spiked, with fire logs and briquettes up by 61% and 80.4% respectively.
Cork County Council continues to warn of treacherous driving conditions, particularly due to black ice in the Mitchelstown area. The council is deploying additional resources to clear routes, prioritizing access to isolated communities and ensuring school routes are accessible before Monday.
Looking ahead, Met Éireann forecasts increasingly mild conditions through the weekend, with temperatures potentially reaching 14C next week. However, this will bring more unsettled weather, with rain and drizzle expected early next week.