Met Éireann warns of between 3cm and 6cm of snow

Met Éireann has issued warnings for accumulations of between 3cm and 6cm of snow in some parts of the State tonight and tomorrow.

The snow and ice warning runs from tonight up until tomorrow evening.

It has issued an orange alert (its second highest level) for Donegal with accumulations of between 3cm and 6cm of snow forecast.

It has issued its lowest level snow and ice warning , a yellow alert, for Connacht, Longford, Westmeath, Cavan and Monaghan. Accumulations in these counties are up to 3cm, it has forecast.

Met Éireann said some falls of snow are possible in Donegal early tonight before turning turn to rain. However on higher ground, above 500ft, the snow is likely to “persist”.

Tonight the rain will clear bringing wintery showers of sleet and snow to Donegal, the meteorologists have forecast. Met Éireann forecast tomorrow’s weather in Donegal will be “cold and raw” with some heavy showers of hail, sleet and snow.

Occasional heavy hail, sleet and snow showers are likely later tonight and tomorrow for parts of Connacht, Ulster and some parts of the midlands, it said.

Higher ground in particular will be hit, with accumulations of up to 3cm in place, it said.

After several wind storms hitting coasts already this year, Met Éireann has also issued a wind warning for Atlantic coasts.

It has forecasts gusts of 90km to 100km per hour tonight, in a yellow level warning lasting up to 3am tomorrow.