Warnings for public health as temperatures to plummet tonight

The island of Ireland is bracing itself for the coldest weather of the winter season so far.

Met Éireann has issued a status yellow weather warning from midnight tonight. The forecasters have warned the public that temperatures could drop as low as -6°C tonight in some areas. 

Treacherous elements such as frost, black ice and snow could appear across the country, making driving conditions hazardous for motorists. 

The meteorologists have stated that an Arctic air mass will linger over Ireland for the rest of this week, causing showers of hail, sleet and snow to fall, and temperatures to remain on the lower end of the scale. 

As a result of the ongoing cost of living crisis, many have expressed concerns over those unable to heat their homes, and how this latest cold snap will affect their health in the coming days and weeks.

The Head of Advocacy for the charity Age Action, Celine Clarke, recently spoke on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland about the worries the group has about elderly members of the public, who will not be able to cope with a lack of heat in their homes.

“These are draughty homes. They maybe don't have central heating. They are difficult to heat. They rely on fossil fuels,” she explained.

Celine went on to encourage those who need support to seek it, and she also recommended those of us with elderly neighbours or relatives to check in with them frequently. "Stay warm, seek the supports that are available, and don’t self-disconnect," she detailed.

As well as the elderly, motorists have also been offered invaluable advice in the lead-up to the freezing temperatures. “You have to take precautions, drive a little bit more slowly,” insisted AA’s head of communications Paddy Comyn.

"Stop putting boiling water on the car to defrost. Boiling water is too much of a change of temperature — it cracks lots of windscreens, warm water is fine or anti-freeze spray,” he noted to drivers.

Hopefully, our weather will improve from next week!