Limerick City and County Council has convened its Severe Weather Assessment Team ahead of the expected freezing temperatures later this week.
Met Éireann has issued a State YELLOW Weather Advisory for Limerick and the rest of the country and is valid from Tuesday 27 February 2018 just after midnight to Saturday 03 March 2018 at 6pm.
It states: “Exceptionally cold weather will occur this week. Air and ground temperatures will be 5 to 10 degrees 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.”
In addition, a Status YELLOW low temperature warning is in effect from today, Monday 26 February 2018 at 5pm to Tuesday 27 February 2018 at 12 noon with air temperatures of 0 to minus 5 Celsius tonight and widespread severe frost.
Priority has been given to National Route system (Priority 1) and strategic locations on the public road network, which carries the most intensive volumes of commuter traffic. Every effort is made to ensure that this network is maintained open for traffic at all times in spite of weather conditions.
All Limerick routes covered under the winter road maintenance programme are gritted based on the latest information from the Road DSS system, ice prediction software, put in place by the then named National Roads Authority (NRA), now Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
The council’s 15 gritting machines will be in use throughout the extreme cold spell while there are six snow ploughs on standby should they be required.
Footpaths at strategic locations across Limerick will also be gritted if required, where resources permit. These include the core city centre area, the bridges, near the hospitals, civic offices and public transport hubs.
In the county footpath gritting can be carried out in Abbeyfeale,Adare, Askeaton, Bruff, Cappamore, Castleconnell, Croom, Doon, Dromcollogher, Hospital, Kilfinane, Kilmallock, Newcastle West and Rathkeale.
Additional emergency bed capacity is being provided by Limerick City and County Council in partnership with our NGO colleagues in Limerick.
Anyone who is experiencing homelessness is urged to contact the Limerick Homeless Action Team. Limerick City and County Council is working closely with these service providers in providing this additional extra capacity. During the cold spell, the council is urging people to look out for their older or less abled neighbours in their communities, and make sure they are ok.
For more information about being prepared for adverse weather conditions, visit www.winterready.ie
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