Temperatures plummet to -5.8C with warnings in place as cold snap 'not going anywhere'

Status Orange ice warnings are in place across Ireland for most of the day as the country continues to battle the cold snap.

The lowest temperature recorded overnight was -5.8C at Casement Aerodrome in Co Dublin, closely followed by -5.7C in Gurteen, Co Tipperary and Mullingar, Co Westmeath. 

A Status Orange warning is currently in place for 22 counties, including all counties in Munster and Connacht, and Carlow, Cavan Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Meath, Monaghan Offaly and Westmeath. It came into effect at 8pm on Tuesday night and remains in place until 10am this morning.

A second Status Orange low temperature and ice warning for Leinster, Munster, Connacht, Cavan and Monaghan will come into effect at 6pm this evening and remain in place until 11am tomorrow morning.

Met Eireann has warned of extremely cold conditions with widespread severe frost, ice and lying snow. They also highlighted dangerous travelling conditions on roads and underfoot, alongside travel disruption and delays.

While a third nationwide Status Yellow low temperature and ice warning is in place until 10am on Friday morning. 

Speaking on Prime Time on Tuesday night, Met Eireann's Mark Bowe said the "cold air just isn't going anywhere". 

"I'm afraid it's more of the same (over the coming days) cold weather unfortunately.

"The cold air in conjunction with the lying snow already on the ground means our daytime temperatures will really struggle, but the overnight temperatures are going to go down to -6C, -7C, maybe even -8C, so plenty of severe frost and ice is expected.

"At the moment it's looking like around Friday and towards the weekend we'll see that warm air come back in but it's going to be with us until around the weekend, I'm afraid."

According to Met Eireann,  this morning will be bitterly cold with widespread frost, ice and patches of freezing fog, all of which will persist in some areas all day. Most areas dry with bright or sunny spells. Some scattered wintry showers in the northwest. It will be cloudier in the south with a little patchy rain possible near the south coast for a time. Highest temperatures of -1 to +4 degrees with mostly light variable or northerly breezes.

Tonight will be "extremely cold" and largely dry. A few wintry showers will affect parts of the north and west. There will be severe frost, ice or black ice and patches of freezing fog with lowest temperatures of -8 to -3 degrees with light variable breezes.