Ice reported on roads as snow warning in place

Treacherous conditions reported in Cork, Leitrim, Roscommon, Donegal and Cavan

Rural Leitrim receives a dusting of heavy snow. Video: Tawnylust Lodge

Dozens of schools throughout the borders were closed on Friday following overnight snowfall and freezing temperatures.

Many schools – including St Nathy's College, Ballaghaderreen and Moyne Community School in Co Roscommon; Ard Scoil Phadraig in Granard, Co Longford; Loreto College and The Royal School, in Co Cavan – were closed because of treacherous road conditions.

Satellite images of Ireland show heavy falls of snow in the border counties, particularly counties Cavan and Monaghan, Donegal and parts of Northern Ireland.

AA Roadwatch reported conditions "greatly improved" during Friday evening, but ice remains an issue on some local routes in Munster – particularly in Co Cork.

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Road conditions remain icy on the N17 Galway/ Sligo Rd around Ireland West Airport Knock.

Gardaí are advising that motorists should drive carefully on the N4 where there is snow and ice between Mullingar and Longford and around Carrick-on-Shannon. Ice remains a problem on a number of routes around Longford Town.

Met Éireann is forecasting severe frost with icy stretches on roads with temperatures as low as minus 5 on Friday night. It will be coldest in the south midlands.

Saturday will start off cold and frosty with fog patches and ice on roads. It will be mainly dry with sunny spells.

A sharp frost will develop in many areas with icy stretches on roads. The lowest temperatures on Saturday night will be minus 2 degrees.

It will start to get warmer again on Sunday.

However, rain is expected later Sunday morning and in the early afternoon in the south-west of the country, which will travel towards the north east later in the evening.

The long range forecast is for a return to mild conditions next week, but without the heavy rainfall of recent weeks. "It's an improving situation," said Joanna Donnelly from Met Éireann.

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy is a news reporter with The Irish Times