Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow snow-ice alert for 11 counties, warning of sleet and snow on Thursday night into Friday morning, while heavy rain and strong winds affect much of the country. The snow weather warning ireland underscores how a fast-moving system is set to bring wintry showers, spot flooding and difficult travel, with some flights already diverted from Dublin Airport due to high winds.
Snow Weather Warning Ireland counties
The Status Yellow snow-ice warning covers Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo and Wicklow, with the risk of snow mainly on high ground along the south and west coasts. Met Éireann said accumulations are possible but likely limited to upland areas. The pattern suggests the risk map is focused on Atlantic-facing counties where showers are forecast to be most frequent.
Forecasters expect conditions to turn colder as rain clears, with afternoon temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees across the northern half of the country and 8 to 11 degrees further south. Wintry showers will feed in from the west, and hail is possible, particularly where heavier showers develop. The figures point to a sharper north–south temperature split that could determine where sleet tips to snow on higher terrain.
Met Éireann wind and rain alerts
A Status Yellow wind warning is in effect nationwide, with strong and gusty southwesterly winds creating poor driving conditions and a risk of loose debris and fallen branches or trees. Met Éireann meteorologist Holly O’Neill said it will be blustery across the country, with Atlantic coastal counties bearing the brunt of gusts. The pattern suggests crosswinds and squally showers may create rapidly changing road conditions, especially in exposed western corridors.
Separately, a Status Yellow rain warning is active for counties Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow and all of Connacht. Heavy downpours could bring spot flooding, poor visibility and difficult travel, with rain expected to clear slowly southeastwards, followed by showers. This setup indicates a transient but impactful rainfall pulse, then a showery airmass delivering intermittent hazards behind the main band.
Dublin Airport flight diversions
High winds have already disrupted aviation. A DAA spokesperson, Graeme McQueen, said three flights diverted in recent hours and eight arriving aircraft performed go-arounds at Dublin Airport before repositioning for another approach. He cautioned that winds were expected to strengthen over a short window, raising the potential for further disruption. The figures point to operational stress in crosswind conditions, when aircraft may abort landings to maintain safety margins.
Among the affected passengers was Minister for Climate, Energy and Transport Darragh O’Brien, whose Air France flight from Paris was unable to land and returned to Charles de Gaulle. Smaller propeller aircraft serving regional UK airports faced particular challenges, with possible delays highlighted for those services. The pattern suggests that travelers on shorter regional routes may see disproportionate impacts when gusty southwesterlies align unfavorably with runway orientations.
The snow weather warning ireland sits alongside the broader wind and rain alerts, creating a layered hazard picture: rain-induced visibility issues and localized flooding, wind-driven debris risks, and wintry showers turning to sleet or snow on higher ground. For motorists and airlines alike, that mix translates to narrow operating windows, especially along Atlantic-facing counties from Donegal to Kerry and across upland routes in Wicklow and Mayo.
Rain is expected to clear gradually southeastwards with showers following, and Thursday night looks cold and blustery with wintry showers mainly in Atlantic counties. The snow-ice alert is set to run overnight into Friday morning, while the wind warning remains active nationwide through Thursday. If the forecast holds, the transition to colder air behind the main rain band suggests the overnight period will carry the greatest risk of wintry precipitation on higher ground.
