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....
