Coldest night of year looms as big freeze set to hit -8C

MOST PLACES are expected to face the coldest night of the year tonight with temperatures falling to minus eight degrees as the prolonged period of freezing weather continues.

Snow, ice and freezing fog, which have made road conditions treacherous, will not ease off until Christmas Day at the earliest. Temperatures last night fell as low as minus seven in the midlands and are unlikely to rise above three degrees anywhere today.

Met Éireann forecaster Deirdre Lowe said that it would be very cold across the country until the afternoon on Christmas Day when milder conditions are expected. “Everywhere will be freezing or below. The winds will be light. There will not be a coastal effect so temperatures will not rise,” she said.

Snow showers are expected today in Donegal where 60 schools closed yesterday and also along the south-east and east coasts, which have escaped the worst of the weather to date. Wintry showers there are likely to turn to sleet and snow later this evening.

The freezing conditions will persist for last-minute shoppers on Christmas Eve with temperatures not much higher than today.

AA Roadwatch controller Nicola Hudson said that drivers travelling for Christmas should avoid secondary roads where possible as most have not been treated.

She said that motorists had taken heed of the warnings because there have been no major accidents or pile-ups since the cold spell started last Sunday. Only one road, a minor one in Co Clare, has had to be closed as a result of a collision caused by the bad weather.

“The majority of calls coming into the rescue centre are for flat batteries and non-starting vehicles. It looks like motorists are driving very carefully,” she said.

The situation is much worse in parts of continental Europe where at least 100 people have died in the past week.

In Poland, 42 people have died with temperatures falling as low as minus 20 degrees. In Germany, the temperatures have fallen as low as minus 33 degrees and at least seven people have lost their lives.

Moscow, which is no stranger to severe winter weather, recorded record snow falls on Monday which caused huge tailbacks in the city.

Eurostar trains, which had been suspended over the weekend, resumed running between London, Brussels and Paris yesterday. Airports throughout Europe also experienced major problems. In Frankfurt airport, where 3,000 passengers had to sleep overnight, 140 flights were cut from the schedule yesterday. However, services at Irish airports ran close to normal yesterday.