Wintry weekend ahead as forecasters warn of freezing fog and icy roads
Forecasters have warned that freezing conditions are set to continue over the next few days after parts of Ireland were blanketed in snow.
A Status Yellow ice warning is in place for every county on the island apart from Armagh and Fermanagh.
The Republic of Ireland’s ice warning remains in place until noon on Saturday, as does a freezing fog warning that could potentially cause hazardous driving conditions.
In Co Donegal, a snow and ice warning is in effect until noon on Saturday.
The Met Office ice warning for counties Antrim, Down, Tyrone and Londonderry will stretch out until noon on Sunday.
It advises that the icy conditions will cause disruption due to icy patches on paths and roads.
Temperatures dropped well below zero across much of the island overnight, with the mercury falling to as low as minus 6.9C in some parts of Ireland.
Met Eireann said the cold weather is likely to continue through the weekend and possibly the first half of next week, in what is the first cold snap Ireland has had in three years.
The Road Safety Authority has warned that road users should be aware of the dangers caused by a drop in temperatures, and should watch out for black ice.
Dublin Airport said that its runways and stands will be monitored throughout Friday night after dozens of flights in and out of Dublin were cancelled.
This was due to airlines having issues de-icing their planes in sub-zero temperatures, according to DAA group head of communications Kevin Cullinane.
As of 9.30pm, 69 flights departing Dublin were cancelled and there were 74 inbound cancellations.
Concerns have been raised in particular for the welfare of older people who live alone, and for those who are sleeping rough.
The Irish government said that an energy supply warning could be issued in the next two weeks, but moved to reassure households that blackouts were unlikely.
The warning is due to a drop in temperature causing an increase in demand for energy, while low wind levels are expected to lead to lower energy supplies.
In Northern Ireland, cold weather payments were issued to parts of Northern Ireland for the first time this year.
Payments of £25 are issued automatically to certain regions when the average temperature is recorded or is forecast to be 0C or below for seven days in a row.