Motorists are being warned to expect widespread frost later tonight with temperatures forecast to drop to a low as -4C.

It comes after last night’s snow and ice caused disruption to transport and travel in counties Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo and Longford.

Donegal County Council say main roads in the county are currently clear, but local roads may be more problematic and motorists are urged to take care.

The council said crews are treating roads tonight and will be back out again from 5.30am Thursday.

There were also reports of very icy road conditions in Cork, Limerick, Galway, Tipperary and Roscommon.

The freezing temperatures also led to the closure of a number of schools in the north midlands and the North West.

Wintry showers in northwest will become isolated. Widespread severe frost and icy roads. Lowest temperatures -2 to -5 degrees with mist and fog. However, cloud will increase from the west with outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow in the southwest and west around dawn. pic.twitter.com/EY5KLMLFqn — Met Éireann (@MetEireann) January 30, 2019

Met Éireann says its status yellow snow and ice warning remains in place for Ireland until Saturday, with showers of hail, sleet and snow expected.

Gardaí say most major routes across the country are now clear but there remains some slippery driving conditions on a number of minor and secondary roads in parts of the north and west.

The Sally Gap in the Wicklow Mountains was impassable early today and snowy conditions affected many routes around Letterkenny, Milford and Buncrana in Co Donegal.

In Cork, there were reports of very icy conditions in the Kanturk area, with the Newmarket/Rockchapel road impassable due to snow for a time.

Motorists in Cork faced challenging conditions (Pic: Katie Sandham)

A snow-covered Ben Bulben in Co Sligo

Meanwhile, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) has said it has activated its Extreme Weather Protocol to address the impact that the freeze-up could have on people sleeping rough.

It urges members of the public who become aware of persons sleeping rough in the region to alert Dublin's Housing First Service to a person to contact: https://www.homelessdublin.ie/report-rough-sleeper

The DRHE, which co-ordinates the homeless services of all four of the capital's local authorities, says extra contingency beds are ready for use for the duration of the alert.

