A Status Orange warning for snow and ice issued for counties Clare, Limerick and Tipperary has also been extended to Galway.
Met Éireann has warned of “heavy” snowfall overnight in counties under the warning, which was in effect from midnight until midday today.
A separate Status Orange warning for snow and rain came into effect for counties Cork and Waterford from midnight, with the forecaster warning of “heavy rain transitioning to sleet and snow”.
A Status Yellow low temperature and ice warning for the entire country has came into effect until midday tomorrow with temperatures tonight set to drop to around -4C.
A separate Status Yellow snow and ice warning is in place for 14 counties since 9pm yesterday, until midday, has also been extended to include Dublin, Mayo and Roscommon, as well as Longford and Westmeath.
In Northern Ireland, a Yellow ice warning for counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry is in operation until 10am.
The UK Met Office said that wintry showers and icy surfaces will lead to difficult travel conditions.
Met Éireann said that snowfall accumulations are expected, which could lead to hazardous travelling conditions, poor visibility and travel disruption.
It has warned that heavy rain will change to sleet and snow bringing the potential for flooding, very difficult travelling conditions, poor visibility, disruption and delays to public transport and animal welfare issues.
Deputy Head of Forecasting with Met Éireann Liz Coleman said snow is expected to begin falling after midnight and warned that it will continue during rush-hour traffic tomorrow morning.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, Ms Coleman advised travellers to take this into account as they make plans and to consider if they really need to travel tomorrow morning.
“We know in Ireland, snow is quite impactful for people… people need to be aware and be prepared for the fact that they may have to travel in snow conditions.
“And also, we want people to maybe consider if they need to take the journey at all,” said Ms Coleman.
She said that snow is notoriously hard to forecast in Ireland but that Met Éireann is getting a “significant signal” that there will be snowfall over the southern half of the country.
Road users are being advised to avoid making unnecessary trips in affected areas while Status Orange warnings are in effect.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) said road users can expect very difficult travelling conditions and poor visibility.
It has advised that there may be travel disruption, and delays to public transport are likely across all networks.
For pedestrians, the RSA advised that the cold spell will lead to difficult conditions underfoot and flooding is possible, and that slips and fall accidents during winter can cause serious injuries.
“Road users are advised to check local traffic and weather conditions before setting out on a journey and heed any public messages issued by An Garda Síochána and the local authorities,” it said.
“Many slips and falls happen in places people regard as safe and secure, typically outside their front door, on the door step, on the path or while getting out of the car,” it added.
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Keith Leonard, head of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management said tomorrow’s weather represented a “complex picture” and that there would be disruptions countrywide.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, he said that Munster in particular will have a “fair bit of snowfall but there’s also going to be mixed in there some rainfall as well,” but that everyone in Ireland travelling tomorrow should plan accordingly and allow extra time for their journey.
“Definitely driving conditions are going to be hazardous and we would appeal to motorists to just slow down and be very cognisant of the road conditions and other vulnerable road users, pedestrians and cyclists.
“This afternoon and this evening if people could check in on their vulnerable and isolated elderly neighbours, that would be very helpful I think for the next 24 to 48 hours,” he said.
He said that generally schools are expected to open, but schools will probably need to assess the conditions locally.
Mr Leonard added that there is a lot of useful advice on the Government website ‘Be Winter Ready’, which can be accessed here.
Cyclists are being warned to wear a high-visibility clothing and ensure their bike lights are working correctly.
Cork City and County Councils warned of difficult travelling conditions as crews began treating all Priority One and Priority Two routes last evening, in line with its winter service plan which is set to continue throughout the cold spell.
Salt and grit supplies have been checked and replenished across the county with gritting trucks ready for deployment when required.
Cork Airport’s snow and ice team are on alert with plans in place to treat surfaces in the airport’s car parks, entrance roads, footpaths and the terminal forecourt to ensure minimum disruption to their operations.
They have warned passengers due to fly over the coming days to take care when travelling to the airport, especially in the early mornings, as road surfaces may be slippery.
Waterford City and County Council has also activated its severe weather plan and authorities were urging the public to exercise caution.
The council warned that Priority Three roads would only be treated when resources allow and during normal working hours.
Extra bed capacity for any known rough sleepers has also been made available by Waterford City and County Council ahead of tonight’s weather warning.
The local authority said beds will be available at McGwire House on Bath Street, while women and children fleeing domestic violence should present to Oasis House on Morrison’s Road in the city.
It also appealed to the public to contact the homeless services team if they see people sleeping rough in the city by emailing [email protected] or calling 0818102020.
HR consultancy firm HR Buddy said today that severe weather events can impact an employee’s ability to report for work and an employer’s ability to operate their business and to be able to provide work.
Potential for a named storm this weekend
Meanwhile Met Éireann forecaster Michelle Dillon has said that there is “definitely the potential for a named storm into the weekend”.
Ms Dillion said there will be no change in air mass until the weekend when it will turn “much milder … but with that, very wet, very windy, potentially stormy”.
“There’s a deep area of low pressure that will be moving close to Ireland, now how close it comes is another answer that we’ll be looking at close to the time,” she added.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Drivetime programme, she said that “even Monday is looking fairly windy”, adding that “we’re looking at then a respite into Tuesday”.
Regarding imminent weather conditions, the forecaster said low pressure moving to the south tonight is “sending up what would be normally rain across the country, but because of the very cold air in situ across Ireland, it’s going to be readily transitioning to sleet and snow”.
Ms Dillion said the counties under a Status Orange alert are expected to get at least 10cm of snow and predicted those under a Status Yellow warning may get “up to 5cm” of snow.
She said the southern coastal areas of counties Cork and Waterford will see a “mix of rain, sleet and snow,” as it will be less cold.
She said the rain will be heavy and there will be localised flooding.
She predicted “extremely dangerous driving conditions” and “bitter cold” conditions tomorrow, giving “lying snow, icy conditions”.
Appeal to look out for rough sleepers
Earlier this week, Dublin’s Simon Community urged members of the public to “keep an eye out” for people sleeping on the streets during the cold spell.
People are being asked to alert specialist services if they see anyone sleeping on the streets.
Those with concerns about rough sleepers can submit a location-based report on the Rough Sleeper Alerts app, which is available to download on iPhones and Androids.
The charity’s Street Outreach Team has said it would appreciate any assistance the public can offer to help those sleeping rough.
Volunteers will also continue to deliver hot soup, tea, and food to people sleeping outdoors in Dublin city centre.
All asylum seekers living in tents at a State-run centre in Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow, are being moved to another tented facility in Dundrum in Dublin.
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