Northern Ireland Met Office weather warning: Fresh alert for 24 hours of ice and snow

The UK weather forecaster issued the Yellow Weather warning just after 9am today.

The warning is of wintry showers bringing further disruption from ice and snow.

It is in place from noon today, Wednesday 18 January, until noon on Thursday 19 January.

The forecaster said people in all six counties of Northern Ireland should expect some roads and railways to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services.

There should also be an expectation of some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces and of icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.

The forecaster said: "Showers will affect the warning area, these falling as a mix of rain and hail near coasts, and sleet and snow inland at times, mainly overnight. This will lead to some temporary snow accumulations at low levels, whilst higher ground of Northern Ireland and Wales in particular, could see a further 2-5 cm of snow. For most parts of the warning area, however, ice will be the main hazard."

The forecaseter has have warned temperatures could stay below average into next week in parts of the UK as the cold spell continues.

Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: “This is a cold spell lasting around five to seven days so I think by the weekend if you’re living in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you will feel it getting a bit milder – but it will remain cold in England and Wales. It may well take until the early part of next week for temperatures to return to normal across England and Wales.”

The Met Office said it expects milder air to start moving in from Friday afternoon in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The County Councils Network, which represents 36 county and unitary district councils in England, said more than 2,000 warm spaces remain open as temperatures drop and people look for somewhere to keep warm amid the cost-of-living crisis.

The Met Office recorded the coldest night of last year on the night of December 12-13 when temperatures plunged to minus 15.7C in Braemer, Aberdeenshire, during a cold snap.