People Urged To Get Indoors By 4 O’Clock Ahead Of Blizzard

Killaloe 28/02/18 Photo By CaitrĂ­ona Mulcahy.

People have three hours to get themselves home or indoors.

A potentially life threatening blizzard is on the way with people being told not to venture outside after 4pm.

The red weather alert is in place until 3 o’clock tomorrow afternoon.

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We’ll have more on the situation in Clare shortly, but first Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has given this latest update:

People across County Clare are being urged to get home and get indoors this afternoon and wait out Storm Emma.

Extremely treacherous conditions have hit most parts of the country now, with a Status Red snow-ice warning in place nationwide.

It’s to get worse before it gets better and we’re being warned to batten down the hatches from 4pm.

Clare FM’s Fiona McGarry reports:

The Beast from the East has well and truly taken hold in Clare this afternoon, with heavy snowfall in places.

Forecasters say heavy snow showers will bring accumulations of significant levels with all areas at risk.

Blizzard conditions will develop from the south this afternoon and evening as heavy snow and strong easterly winds bring snow drifts northwards over the country.

Here in Clare, the few services that have opened today are beginning to shut down this lunchtime as the county prepares for a snow-laden 24 hours.

Motorists are already being urged to avoid all non-essential travel and if they must drive, to take extreme care.

Clare County Council says snow ploughs will be used to clear roads in the event of heavy snowfall.

But Senior Engineer Tom Tiernan hopes the level of snow on our roads can be kept to a minimum through gritting.

Meanwhile, a number of emergency teams are ready to spring into action as and when they’re needed.

Clare’s Chief Fire Officer Adrian Kelly says they’re on standby but wants people to remember that emergency personnel themselves will also be impacted by the weather.

Up to 60 volunteers from Clare Civil Defense will be on hand in Ennis tonight and tomorrow to assist emergency services during Storm Emma.

But their local Officer Noel Carmody is urging people to follow the advice that’s being given.

Meanwhile, health services locally are also being impacted by the blizzard, with Clarecare curtailing their services until the worst has passed.

The UL Hospitals Group has cancelled all non-emergency appointments until Monday too and have been in touch with any effected patients.

Chief Operations Officer Noreen Spillane says there are services there, though, for those in need:

Shannon Airport says it’s experiencing a “significant number” of flight cancellations, but it remains fully operational.

Aer Lingus have cancelled all services for tomorrow until Saturday morning and Ryanair announced a number of cancellations, today and tomorrow.

People are being reminded to have a working torch and some candles on standby in case of a power outage during Storm Emma.

The ESB has asked customers to check if their fault has already been reported on powercheck.ie before they call.

Electricity went out for a time this morning in hundreds of homes in Dublin, Cork and Kerry.