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Travel disruption as icy conditions impact parts of NI

Pacemaker A white car makes its way up a narrow country road in County Antrim, which has a light dusting of snow. Two hedges can be seen on either side of the road and a house is visible in the background.Pacemaker
Some roads in Northern Ireland were impassable for a time on Tuesday due to icy conditions

Icy conditions are causing some travel disruption in Northern Ireland with temperatures expected to plummet overnight on Tuesday.

The Met Office said temperatures are set to drop to about -5C or -6C in inland areas.

A yellow warning for snow and ice came into force at 15:00 GMT on Tuesday and expires at midday on Wednesday.

The police have warned that some roads are impassable due to the weather conditions and a number of schools were closed earlier because of snow.

A white car faces into a hedge at Claudy in Co Derry. Snow can be seen all around.
A car has come off the road at Claudy as police warn drivers to take care

There will be a widespread sharp frost overnight as well as icy patches, possibly leading to a more difficult morning commute on Wednesday.

The Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) urged drivers to take care due to icy roads throughout Northern Ireland and some bus services have been affected.

Nigel McFarland An aeriel shot of the Glenshane pass in Northern Ireland. Snow covers the surrounding fields which the road bisects. Traffic can be seen on the roadNigel McFarland
Traffic is moving across the Glenshane Pass despite the weather

Police said "all roads in the Dungannon area of County Tyrone are impassable due to snow", warning that drivers should only travel if absolutely necessary.

Officers have been dealing with numerous collisions in the area.

Dungannon town centre covered in snow. a number of cars can be seen parked up, while a man walks across the road
Police described roads in Dungannon as impassable

The PSNI have also asked motorists to avoid traveling on the Moyad Road and Kilkeel Road near Spelga Dam on Tuesday evening.

This is due to hazardous conditions of ice and snow on the road which is causing some vehicles to get stuck.

In a post on X, the police have advised road users to seek an alternative route and to stay on main roads that have been gritted.

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Across the UK, flooding and heavy snow have caused chaos in some areas with major incidents being declared in Lincolnshire and Leicestershire.

Charmaine McNally and Cahill Quinn walking their dog fozzie in Claudy.
Fozzie the dog, pictured with owners Charmaine and Cahill, still needs a walk, regardless of the weather in Claudy

Despite the weather Charmaine McNally and Cahill Quinn were out walking their dog Fozzie in Claudy.

"It has to be done," said Cahill.

A field is covered in snow, as are hills in the background. a small church can be seen in the foothills of the sperrin mountains
Snow continued to fall on the Glenshane Road in County Londonderry
Shows Peter Eakin wearing a company coat, standing on the roadside with traffic in the background
Peter Eakin says people in some rural areas like Claudy feel let down by the 'lack of planning' for the snow

Claudy businessman, Peter Eakin, said there appeared to be a lack of proper planning for the conditions.

"Snow was forecast to come and we know that salting doesn't take away snow but there was ice on the road before the snow came and if the salters had gone out and given a wee bit of preparation, I think it would have made conditions a lot easier.

"There was no road service to be seen, the roads were blocked, there were vehicles stuck ... people, in general, just think the rural area is just forgotten about."

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) said roads considered to be at risk had been salted overnight.

"However road users are advised to exercise caution when travelling, particularly when driving on untreated roads," the department added.

Pacemaker Two sheep in a field which is covered in light snow. Some green and brown shoots of grass can be seen in some patches on the ground. Pacemaker
Sheep in County Antrim were thankful for their thick woollen coats as the cold snap continues across Northern Ireland.
BBC Weather Watcher/Henri Bender A snowscape showing hills and fields covered in snow at Newbuildings near DerryBBC Weather Watcher/Henri Bender
There was fresh snowfall at Newbuildings on Tuesday morning

Translink are advising passengers to expect some disruption to services across Northern Ireland.

Early morning services in some parts of Belfast, Newtownards, Magherafelt, Cookstown, Feeney and Ballymoney were among those services affected.

Neil Thornton An icy Shipquay Street in Derry, cars are parked on wither side of the steep street, with a single pedestrian walking across the road. ice is clearly visible on the road.Neil Thornton
Some council services in Derry have been impacted

Belfast Zoo said it will be closed on Tuesday due to snow and ice while in the north west and on the north coast a number of council services have been disrupted.

In Londonderry, council-owned cemeteries remain closed to visitors - except for funerals - as staff work to clear ice and snow.

Recycling centres at Clady, Donemana, Plumbridge and Newtownstewart have reopened after a short closure on Tuesday morning to allow staff to clear ice and snow.

Causeway Coast and Glens Council meanwhile said it may not be possible for "refuse collection vehicles to access all roads" because of the difficult conditions.

It said bins will be collected at the earliest opportunity and householders should leave them out as normal.

BBC Weather Watcher/Aisling A snowy street scene taken in Carrickmore, County Tyrone. Tyre tracks are visible on the road, fresh snow is fallingBBC Weather Watcher/Aisling
Snow falls in Carrickmore in County Tyrone

Meanwhile, in the Republic of Ireland, tens of thousands of customers are still without water and power as the wintry weather continues to grip much of the country.

A status Orange warning - the second highest level - has been issued for low temperatures and ice.

Irish weather service Met Éireann is expecting extremely cold conditions with lying snow.

It is warning of severe frost and ice, travel disruption, and animal welfare concerns as the cold may affect livestock and outdoor animals.

The warning, which covers much of the Republic of Ireland, runs from 20:00 local time on Tuesday until 10:00 on Wednesday.

Who can get cold weather payments?

On Monday, it was confirmed that the recent wintry conditions had triggered cold weather payments in eight postcode areas in Northern Ireland.

The £25 payment is made to people living in areas where the temperature is recorded or forecast to be 0°C or below for seven consecutive days.

They will be paid to people living in the following postcodes in County Down:

  • BT24, 25, 26
  • BT30, 31, 32, 33, 34
Snow and ice on daffodils in a park in Dungannon. The grass is covered in a thin layer of snow. Trees are out of focus in the background and the sky is grey.
Cold weather payments have been triggered for eight postcode areas in Northern Ireland