TEMPERATURES IN Ireland could drop as low as -11C this week as the country remains enveloped in a cold snap.
A Status Orange Low Temperature/Ice warning for 19 counties comes into effect at 6pm with an extremely cold night forecast, with temperatures below -5C leading to severe frost and ice.
The warning will be in effect until midday tomorrow for Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Cavan, Monaghan, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway, Leitrim and Roscommon.
A previously announced Status Yellow Low Temperature/Ice warning remains in place for he entire country until Friday,
Temperatures on Thursday will remain below freezing during the morning everywhere, with some parts of the midlands staying well below freezing through the day.
In the afternoon temperatures generally will be between zero and plus 2 degrees, a few degrees higher on coasts.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, meteorologist Joanna Donnelly forecast a widespread low temperature of -7C nationally, but temperatures could drop to -11C in places.
"There's not a huge amount of precipitation, no sleet or snow apart from a few showers on coasts, but the temperatures are going significantly colder.
"I have the -7 widely in the forecast for overnight tonight, but it's going to be much colder than that in isolated areas, there's -11 showing up on my charts here," Ms Donnelly said.
Yesterday, 13 December, the lowest temperature recorded was in Mount Dillon in Longford, which recorded -7.9C.
The highest was in Sherkin Island, recording 7.2C.
The lowest temperature ever recorded in Ireland was -19.1C, which was recorded in January 1880.
In more recent years, coldest temperatures were recorded in 2018 with -9.7C, and -17.5C on Christmas Day in Mayo in 2010.
