Further weather alerts as thousands without power and water

The Met Office has warned of further wintry conditions

Numerous weather alerts have been issued across the island of Ireland as the cold snap continues.

In the Republic of Ireland, around 59,000 premises are without power and 15,000 are without water as a result of adverse weather conditions.

In Northern Ireland, a yellow ice and snow warning was in effect until 18:00 GMT on Sunday.

A further yellow ice warning for Northern Ireland will come into force at midnight, lasting until 11:00 on Monday.

The Met Office had said there would be likely disruption to transport, and some infrastructure and ice will be an additional hazard, especially on untreated surfaces.

Sleet, snow, power and water cuts

Several counties experienced significant snowfall on Sunday morning

On Saturday night, up to 10cm of snowfall was possible over the Mournes, Sperrins and Antrim Hills, with lighter dustings elsewhere, according to the Met Office.

"Spells of rain, sleet and snow will develop from the south late Saturday before clearing through Sunday," the forecaster said.

"Coastal areas will likely see rain, but inland and over higher ground, sleet and snow is more likely."

Meanwhile, four Irish Cup fifth round ties were postponed following pitch inspections on Saturday, and the GAA had also postponed its All-Ireland Club semi-finals.

In Northern Ireland, a yellow ice and snow warning is in effect until 18:00 GMT on Sunday

In the Republic, the 59,000 premises without power, according to ESB Networks, mainly consist of homes, farms and businesses in counties Limerick, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Carlow, Laois and Wicklow.

"ESB Networks crews and partner contractors are deployed in all impacted areas and are restoring power where safe to do so," the electricity supply board said in a statement.

"We acknowledge the disruption to family and commercial life this causes, and thank customers for their patience as our crews work to safely restore power."

Up to 15,000 people are without water across counties Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Tipperary as a result of the weather, according to Uisce Éireann (Irish Water).

Crews are working to maintain and restore supplies, the utility company said.

Members of the public have been urged to conserve water as a number of reservoirs are under pressure due to the weather.

Weather 'will need to be monitored very closely'

Warnings may be issued for more snow and ice over the weekend

A National Emergency Coordination Group virtual meeting took place to assess the impact of the overnight snow.

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Simon Harris said it was "really important" people be vigilant on roads and while travelling.

"This morning I spoke to the team that coordinate efforts for the cold snap and challenges arising from snow and sleet in Ireland," he added.

"The very cold weather will continue for much of this week and our teams at national and local level will continue to work hard.

"The impact of snow and sleet and rain freezing in the coming hours and remaining frozen will need to be monitored very closely."

'Multi-weather hazard event'

Icicles were spotted at the Wicklow Gap on Saturday morning

The Republic of Ireland's weather service Met Éireann issued a number of alerts for snow and ice over the weekend, describing it as a "multi-weather hazard event".

A status orange warning for snow and ice was in place in eight counties: Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary until 20:00 local time on Sunday, with an orange rain and snow alert affecting counties Cork, Kerry and Waterford.

Met Éireann warned of very difficult travelling conditions, poor visibility and disruption to public transport.

Counties Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Munster have been issued a yellow warning for snow and ice, lasting until 00:00 on Monday.

The entire country is under a yellow warning for ice and low temperatures until 12:00 on Thursday.

Naimh McElroy, from NI Water, said people should take "extra care" around waterways during the cold snap.

Reservoirs and loughs can "look frozen but if they freeze over it's impossible to tell how thick the ice is," she said.

She warned that "ice can be thin in places" and "there is a very real risk of someone drowning."

"Dog owners also need to remember to keep four legged friends on a lead if they are being walked near reservoirs and other bodies of open water," she added.

In England and Wales, severe amber warnings for snow and ice are in place throughout the weekend with the Met Office warning that up to 30-40cm of snow could be possible in parts of Northern England.

Manchester, Liverpool John Lennon and Birmingham Airports have closed their runways following heavy snow overnight, they are working to rectify the disruption "as quickly as possible".

How to drive safely on ice

The Met Office has said it is safer not to drive in icy conditions, but recommends a number of precautions that drivers should take it if is necessary:

• Looking well ahead for potential hazards and keep your speed down

• Accelerating, braking, steering and changing gear as smoothly as possible to reduce the risk of a skid

• Using a higher gear may be more appropriate to help grip on packed ice

• Using a higher gear helps manage engine power making it easier to find traction

The service also urged cyclists to stick to main roads, which are more likely to have been treated, and for all road users to leave more time to complete their journey.

As the cold weather continues, NI Water has reminded the public to be aware of the risk of frozen pipes, as they pose a risk to properties and possessions.

Advice includes wrapping your pipes and water tanks up, fixing dripping taps, knowing how to turn off your property's stop tap, checking your central heating boiler has been serviced and leaving the heating on low if you are going away.