Fresh warning of snow for Northern Ireland, but snow rollers unlikely

It came into force at 5pm today (Monday) and is due to last until 11am tomorrow (Tuesday).

According to the Met Office map of the area for which the yellow warning is in place, only the most northerly parts of the Province are likely to see snow.

The forecaster said frequent snow showers would follow a band of rain and sleet from the north.

Icy patches are also likely to form as overnight temperatures fall to zero, and with industrial action still ongoing with road workers not everywhere can count on being gritted.

Last week saw pickets by members of Unite and GMB and the News Letter has been told that industrial action continues this week on a work to rule basis which will impact the Department for Infrastructure’s winter service and emergency response.

While snow could be on the cards for some in Northern Ireland, it is less likely that any snow rollers which were spotted during the last snowfall will return.

The BBC carried a news story in which the naturally occuring phenomena had been caught on camera in Annahilt, Co Down.

And the News Letter were contacted by Kenny Maze, who took a snap of snow rollers in fields on Ivy Hill in Lisburn.

A snow roller is a rare meteorological phenomenon in which cylindrical snowballs are formed naturally as chunks of snow roll down hill or are blown along the ground by wind, picking up further snow along the way.