As expected 'The Beast from the East' arrived through the night and forecasters now say this severe winter weather is considered very likely to last a week or longer. It's time to check the boat and avoid the five most common wintersing mistakes for boatowners.

A snow-ice warning has been issue for Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Wicklow and Meath. 

Heavy overnight snowfall has led to accumulations of snow between 5 and 10cm. Snow showers will continue to occur during today and again tonight with further accumulations. Total snowfall up to midday Thursday may reach 25cm.

Like everyone else, sailing clubs and marine trade are coping with the effects of the snowfall. Among some early postponements  of events is Friday's Cork Week launch and tomorrow night's Glenua Presentation “From the Aegean to the Fastnet Race 2017". 

The RStGYC in Dun Laoghaire has notified members that the clubhouse is closed today and until the removal of the weather warning. The National Yacht Club will close at 3pm.

Current forecasts are for conditions to worsen before improvement with tomorrow and Friday looking like potential blizzard conditions. Add this to the below freezing temperatures and a wind chill of up to -11c tomorrow morning it is time to batten down the hatches.

Details of what's next on the weather front are of course sketchy but the depth of cold air over Ireland means temperatures are well below freezing, and that further snowfall is a strong possibility in the east, south and perhaps coastal areas of north and west as well, and we are seeing some charts on the most reliable models that are real jaw-droppers for snowfall potential.

Here's some updates via social media from around the coast: 

A Red Weather Warning has been put into effect by Met Éireann. Insurers Allianz say stay safe and observe all advice from state agencies.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour based MGM Boats has been busy making desktop snowmen...

Viking Marine in Dun Laoghaire are selling sledges...

And in Cork Harbour, Eddie English predicts temperatures as low as minus 5....

The CH Marine chandlery has been forced to close in Cork today but the Skibbereen branch IS open....

After weeks of snow a thaw is underway across Ireland today but melting snow will produce even more difficulties for boat owners.

For starters boats without an automatic bilge pump can end up flooded but even if fitted prolonged pump use can drain batteries.

It's very easy to make one of the five most common winterising mistakes. Check them HERE.

It's not too late to check on your boat and shake off that snow! 

Welsh Coastguard Rescue Teams along the Irish Sea coast are assisting the NHS in North Wales today as heavy snow affects the area.

Cemaes Coastguard Rescue Team transported critical staff from Llanddeusant to Cefni Hospital, Llanerchymedd and Llangefni to Ysbyty Gwynedd then to Amlwch on return to base at Cemaes.

Moelfre Coastguard Rescue Team transported critical staff from Amlwch, Pentraeth and Talwrn to Ysbyty Gwynedd.

Moelfre Coastguard Rescue Team was tasked to assist the district nurse on critical care patient rounds, in the Gaerwen area.

Penmon Coastguard Rescue Team was tasked to collect a doctor from Llanddona and take them to Ysbyty Gwynedd.

Holyhead Coastguard Rescue Team was tasked to assist the district nurse on critical care patient rounds, in the Holyhead area.

These teams of volunteer coastguard rescue officers have been involved in essential drug transfers to and from local hospitals and nursing staff transfers. Essential supplies for critically ill patients have been delivered and doctors have been taken by coastguards to where they are needed in an emergency. Several teams are also on standby to assist over the weekend.

Rod Johnson, Chief Coastguard said

In extreme winter weather our partner emergency services, and local authorities, may need to call on our help to resolve critical or life threatening incidents. To make sure that we respond to these calls and maintain our own state of readiness for maritime emergencies, these requests are routed through the local resilience forum.

The system of call outs has been working well this week and ensuring that Her Majesty's Coastguard give help where it's needed; when it's needed.

The National Road's Authority (NRA) are expecting shipments of emergency salt from Egypt and Morocco to arrive next week, according to a report in the Irish Independent. 

Two vessels, the CSL Prospect and Olivia are heading for the Port of Cork with a combined cargo of 11,500 tonnes of salt. In the meantime councils are coping with rapidly dwindling supplies to keep the main roads gritted over the weekend. If the councils fail to ration supplies, the authorities will quickly run out of salt, sparking a crisis for motorists. For more on this story click here.

The Port of Cork added that these salt-shipments will continue beyond next week. In addition to next weeks delivery, more vessels will be calling to the port, bringing in total 35,000 tonnes of salt over the next few weeks.

According to weather forecasts, there will be significant accumulations of snow expected in most parts of the country. Up to 10cm of snow may fall over the next few days. For information on the latest weather updates logon to www.met.ie/forecasts/

Brothers Rory (37) and Eoin (36) O'Connor spent last night (Thursday 2 December 2010) in an igloo on Duncannon beach in county Wexford to raise funds for RNLI lifeboats. The pair went into the home-made igloo at 8pm last night and emerged this morning at 8am.

The igloo was built on Duncannon beach by local men Patrick Byrne and David Walsh following plummeting temperature and heavy snowfall in the southeast.  On hearing of the structure, Rory and Eoin approached the men to ask if they could spend a night in the igloo to raise funds for RNLI lifeboats.  With their agreement they made plans to spend the evening in the ice and brought with them special clothing and sleeping bags to brave the arctic temperatures.

Rory is a volunteer lifeboat helm on Fethard-on-Sea D class inshore lifeboat in county Wexford and when the temperatures dropped on the south-east coast he and his brother Eoin decided to do something to raise funds for the RNLI and to remind people that lifeboat crew go out in all types of weather.

Speaking from the igloo at the end of their night Fethard lifeboat helm Rory said "We are honestly delighted with the response from the public to our sleepover.  People were dropping by the igloo all night to say hello and drop some money in the bucket.  We even had a local pub send down some hot whiskeys to keep us warm.  It was actually quite comfortable and we even managed to get a good night's sleep."

The brothers emerged this morning in good spirits and were looking forward to a cooked Irish breakfast on the beach.

Rory and Eoin have set up a donations page HERE. The brothers have so far raised over €1,500 for the lifeboats.

A night in the cold has produced 1500 Euros so far!

 

Marine Warnings