A satellite photo of Ireland and Britain on Tuesday evening. The ‘Beast’ is yet to arrive in full force.
By Anthony Neeson
Ireland is bracing itself for the “Beast from the East,” as temperatures are set to plummet and heavy snow is predicted throughout the country by mid-week.
Met Éireann has issued an Orange weather warning for the weather system that is coming in from Siberia with Thursday and Friday expected to be the worst days for heavy disruptive snow.
Snow flurries hit parts of the country on Monday.
However, it is later in the week when temperatures are expected to dip amid “blizzard conditions” with wind chill factored in temperatures could dip to -10C.
Just as with Storm Ophelia at the end of last year – in which three people lost their lives – there have been regular updates from various agencies warning the public of what they can expect in the days ahead.
On Monday, the National Emergency Coordination Group met in Dublin.
Met Éireann warned that by Friday a Red weather alert will be issued.
Businesses and schools are bracing themselves for disruption with people asked to look out for elderly relatives and neighbors.
Met Éireann’s Evelyn Cusack warned of “dynamic snow” from Thursday evening through to Friday morning.
She said: “The high danger area, countrywide, is Thursday evening, Thursday night and Friday morning, as what we call a dynamic snow weather system is pushing up from the Bay of Biscay.
“There is a lot of precipitation associated with it and as it hits the cold area across Ireland and Britain, there is a high risk of some very heavy snow.”
Heavy snow has already hit the east coast of Britain with some parts of the country colder than the Arctic which, ironically, has just witnessed a rise in temperature above freezing even though the sun is still set at the most northerly latitudes.
Met Éireann said: “Exceptionally cold weather will occur this week. Air and ground temperatures will be 5C and 10C below normal, with significant wind chill and penetrating severe frosts.
“Snow showers, mainly affecting eastern areas on Tuesday, will progressively become more widespread and heavier through midweek.
“A spell of persistent and heavy snow is expected to extend from the south late Thursday and Thursday night, with significant and disruptive accumulations.”
