Mullingar in Co Westmeath and Galway were the coldest parts of the country overnight as temperatures reached -3 degrees, according to Met Éireann.

Much of the sub-zero weather was at the midlands while Belmullet, Co Mayo recorded a balmy 4 degrees on Friday night. Grass temperatures reached as low as -9 in some areas.

The cold conditions were very slow to lift on Saturday morning. There were warnings of difficult driving conditions early on Saturday as a snow and ice warning from Met Éireann remained in place until midday .

At 7am on Saturday temperatures were -2 in Carlow, Meath and Galway weather stations and -1 at Casement Aerodrome and Phoenix Park in Dublin and Gurteen in Tipperary.

Road temperatures as low as -4 were reported by the National Roads Authority by 8.30am Saturday. The road temperature at the N84 Baltinglass, Co Wicklow is -4, road temperature is -3.6 at Roscrea, Co Tipperary and -3.9 at the N10 Kilkenny. AA Roadwatch warned of “very icy” conditions” along the M11/N11 between Ferns and Arklow and Black ice in Co Kildare on Saturday morning.

Friday night’s temperatures were “normal for this time of year” according to Met Éireann. They were by no means the lowest, the coldest night recorded so far in 2014 was in Mullingar where temperatures fell to -4.3 degrees on February 10th.

The weather on Saturday night will not be as cold with frost in the midlands and east as temperatures fall to around 0 degrees. Rain will spread from the west overnight and temperatures will rise and frost will clear, Met Éireann has forecast.

Sunday will be much warmer, 8 to 10 degrees but there will be rain in most areas.

Snow

On Friday, Limerick became the latest county to see snow fall for the first time this winter with a shower of white stuff dusting the north east of the city as well as parts of Co Clare.

Snowy conditions were also reported on Friday around Letterkenny, Mallow and Carrick-on-Shannon, with icy road conditions in Monaghan town and Mullingar.

Safe Driving

AA Roadwatch reminds drivers that “gentle manoeuvres” are the key to safe driving in icy conditions.

It says motorists should remember that stopping distances are ten times longer on ice and snow and to leave a large gap between their vehicle and the car in front when driving.

Drivers heading to Dingle’s Other Voices music event this weekend should reduce their speed and take extreme care on the roads following reports of sleet on the N86 Dingle/Tralee Road, particularly at Gleann na nGealt.

Is there a chance this snowy weather will continue until Christmas? Paddy Power has placed the odds of a white Christmas at 4 to 1 in Cork city and 7 to 2 in Dublin and Belfast.