WINTRY SHOWERS and biting wind are forecast for today, following a weekend of storms, lightning and snow in some areas. Met Éireann said the cold snap would continue until mid-week at least.
Storms battered the country on Saturday and led to the death of a 35-year-old woman in Co Down. A tree fell on her car on the Strangford Road in Downpatrick at about 4pm.
Weather conditions also caused the loss of electricity in 90,000 homes in the Republic and more than 40,000 homes in Northern Ireland. ESB and Northern Ireland Electricity crews worked through the weekend and expected to have the vast majority of homes reconnected by late last night.
An ESB spokesman said the work was hampered by lightning storms along the west coast.
Up to 600 homes in Donegal lost their power when lightning hit yesterday morning while a primary school in Crusheen, Co Clare, had its windows blown out in a lightning storm.
Nearby, residents of more than 10 homes had to leave their houses as fuse boxes exploded and telephone sockets and light fittings were blown off walls.
Met Éireann forecaster Joanna Donnelly said the violent storms had hit all parts of the country. There was snow in some areas while other parts were hit by flooding.
A record-breaking wind was recorded in Belmullet, Co Mayo, on Saturday when it was hit by a gust of 94 knots.
Temperatures are not expected to rise above 3-5 degrees today but the strong wind will make it feel colder.
Severe frost and icy roads are expected tonight and westerly winds will blow showers on to the western coastline tomorrow. The eastern side of the country will not be as badly affected.
The weather forced the cancellation of several weekend sporting fixtures. The Fairyhouse race meeting was abandoned because of snow on the track while the Cork meeting was cancelled due to a waterlogged racetrack. The FBD Connacht League match between Sligo and Leitrim was also postponed. A number of FAI junior soccer matches in Sligo-Leitrim were called off and the Galway and District League cancelled all their soccer fixtures as a precaution.
The storms caused disruption to motorists and rail passengers. Fallen branches and other debris littered roads all over the State while a fallen tree blocked the Dublin-Limerick train line for some time on Saturday.
A cargo vessel got into trouble off the Kerry coast after its engines failed and some ferry services were affected by the high winds.
Irish Ferries’ sailings on the Rosslare-Cherbourg and Dublin-Holyhead routes were disrupted because of adverse weather conditions at sea.
With temperatures expected to fall below freezing last night, AA Roadwatch urged motorists to be careful on the roads. It warned of dangerous driving conditions in places such as the Sallygap in Wicklow and Barnesmore Gap in Donegal. Several cars left the road at Barnesmore Gap during the weekend. Driving conditions were also difficult in parts of Cork, Waterford, Westmeath and Kildare.
