Met Éireann has issued a fresh Status Yellow low temperature/ice warning with temperatures of -5C and freezing slush expected to create hazardous conditions.

The warning covers Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Connacht, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath from 7pm this evening until 10am tomorrow. 

“Freezing temperatures, widespread frost, and icy surfaces, leading to hazardous travelling conditions,” Met Éireann said. 

Forecaster Gerry Murphy said the most severe conditions are expected in the midlands and northern counties. 

“There will be a Yellow level low temperature/ice warning issued shortly for much of the country for those low temperatures. Temperatures tonight are expected to go down to -5C in places. So, in parts of the midlands and over the northern half of the country [there will be] some very low temperatures. There will still be lying snow,” he told RTÉ.

A snow and ice warning for counties Dublin and Wicklow has now expired

It comes as travellers in some parts of the country have faced hazardous conditions this morning after snowfall overnight and icy conditions.

There is also a warning that thawing snow could refreeze and form ice as temperatures drop again this evening and tonight.

Scores of flights to and from Dublin Airport have been delayed this morning due to adverse weather conditions and complications with de-icing planes.

De-icing aircrafts is carried out by airlines or by their contracted handling agent, and there have been reports of long wait times for de-icing to be carried out.

A spokesperson for Dublin Airport’s authority, daa, said: “All runways and associated taxiways are clear of snow and fully open.

“Dublin Airport's dedicated snow and ice teams remain on standby to ensure that Dublin Airport remains open and operational. They are also assisting airlines and their handling agents as they attempt to de-ice their aircraft. As always, passengers should check with their airline for the latest flight information regarding their specific flight.”

Keith Leonard, director of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM), said there is not “too much disruption” this morning, and public transport is moving well.

“That would be the hope that most schools would be open, but again, that will be a call for principals and boards of management to make locally across the country,” he told RTÉ. “My sense is that most schools are opening as normal today.”

"We still have a Yellow warning out – there’s still going to be particularly hazardous conditions across the road network today. But certainly we're seeing a transition to more normal temperatures. It will be cold again tonight and then we should be back to normal March weather from tomorrow onwards,” he added.

“Icy in places this morning with rain, sleet and snow in the east to start quickly clearing into the Irish Sea, leaving a cold and generally dry day with sunny spells. It will be cloudier in the southwest with isolated showers and some showers of rain and sleet are possible on northern coasts. Daytime temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees in a light variable breeze,” Met Éireann said this morning.

Temperatures fell to -5C in some inland areas overnight, with heavy snowfalls across parts of Leinster and Ulster.

Several thousand homes and business were without power this morning. Work is underway by ESB crews to restore power to affected customers and estimated restoration times are available online, on the energy provider’s “powercheck” page. 

Gardaí and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) urged people to make only essential journeys.

Some bus services have been cancelled around the country.

The Bus Éireann service between Castlebar and Headford was off this morning, as were buses in Meath between Navan and Dublin and Dunshaughlin and Dublin. Travellers should check with their operator before setting out.

Dublin Bus has also curtailed some routes, with the 44b not serving Glencullen, 47 not serving Belarmine, 61 not serving Rockbrook and the 65 not serving Ballyknockan.

Some areas were predicted to face up to 13cm of snow, but the Arctic spell has not rivalled Storm Emma, which, combined with the Beast from the East, led to between 30cm and 69cm of snow between February 27 and March 4, 2018.

The heaviest daily snowfall from Storm Emma was on March 3, when Glenmacnass in Wicklow recorded 69cm.

Mr Murphy said the snowfall was not as severe as initially expected, apart from parts of Antrim and Down where over 10cm of snow was recorded. 

“Some parts of the north and midlands got quite a bit of snow. The amounts were not huge in the sense that they would be have been between about 2cm and 5cm across the country and different places got different amounts. Actually the place that got the most snow was up in the north. Antrim and Down had quite significant snow,” he said.

“In sheltered areas, in some rural areas there will still be significant pockets of ice and frost this morning, but as we go through the day, we will see some of that snow beginning to melt. That’s going to turn it into slush and we are expecting a very cold frost tonight as well, which means that freezing slush still on the roads is going to make for some hazardous conditions on the roads overnight.” 

Mr Murphy said there was large rainfall in parts of the country yesterday too, including Dublin’s Phoenix Park where 35mm of rain was recorded, and members of the public should be “very careful” of slippery surfaces.

More than 500 lorries were out gritting and salting roads yesterday evening as Transport Infrastructure Ireland and local councils made plans.

“Conditions like these can be challenging to treat with intermittent rainfall-snow and freezing weather likely between salting treatments that may result in icy conditions,” a council official said.

“There is also the risk that rain and snow washes off some of the salting treatments.”

Met Éireann said the thaw will not begin until tomorrow evening as milder, wetter conditions spread over the country, with temperatures on Sunday expected to climb to 14C.

Forecaster Gerry Murphy said a further band of sleet and snow will move north-eastwards across the country tonight, but it will be followed by milder air tomorrow evening. “Then we're back in the clear,” he added. 

Mr Murphy said Sunday is going to be a “fairly wet day” and the milder temperatures and showers will continue next week. 

The Department of Education said any decision to close schools rested entirely with local management.

“Any decision to close is taken in the interest of child safety, having assessed the local risks and having consulted, as appropriate, with school transport operators,” a spokesman said.

Limerick and Clare were particularly badly hit yesterday, and motorists faced blizzard-like conditions in some areas.

Some roads in Clare, Limerick, north Tipperary and south Galway were described as impassable due to snow.

Several trucks and buses – including a Bus Éireann vehicle – skidded off roads and a number of schools in Limerick and Clare were closed.

Motorists making essential journeys were urged to have warm clothing in their car and a charged mobile phone in case of any disruption.

Elderly support groups including Alone and Age Action urged people to check on pensioners in their area, particularly those who are living alone.

The Dublin Region Homeless Executive said it had put its cold weather strategy in place, with shelter beds available.