GALWAY and the West of Ireland escaped the brunt of the Arctic weather last weekend that impacted most severely on the southern half of the country.

Although air temperatures dipped to –5.1°C at the Athenry Met Éireann weather station on the Friday morning of January 3, Galway escaped the heavy snowfalls on Saturday and Sunday last.

An estimated 40,000 homes are without power, and a similar number have no water due to frozen pipes, mostly all in a line south of North Clare and extending across the country to South County Dublin.

Galway though did not escape the big freeze-up on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week with the mercury dropping down close to -10°C – the lowest temperature recorded in the country for a number of years.

Drivers across Galway and the rest of the country have, however, been warned by Met Éireann of potentially hazardous travelling conditions up until Friday morning.

“There will be very cold nights [potentially down to -10°C] with widespread frost, ice and lying snow. Temperatures will struggle to get above freezing during the day,” Met Éireann has advised.

Driving conditions on Galway’s roads last Monday morning were described by motorists as difficult with intermittent showers of hail, sleet and snow falling –  many drivers on the M17-18 motorway had reduced speeds to 70/80km/h.

A Galway Garda spokesperson advised all drivers and road users to be mindful of the very difficult travelling conditions brought about by the current period of extreme weather.

“Slow down and consider carefully if a journey is really necessary in very bad weather conditions,” said the Garda spokesperson.

This week, Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, also urged farmers to prioritise safety during the current cold spell of weather.

“I am urging all farmers, fishers and everyone in rural areas to be extra careful during the current cold spell of weather.

“While farmers always make every effort to look after livestock during poor weather, they must also prioritise their own safety and the safety of those working and living in rural communities,” said the Minister.

He added that trips and falls were common incidents during freezing conditions but could be minimised – and ideally avoided – by keeping yards tidy and maintaining taps, pipes and drainpipes to avoid icy patches as a result of drips.

“Salt for gritting will help minimise slippery conditions around the farmyard. Farmers should avoid working at height during frosty weather.

“Roof repairs should only be carried out when weather conditions are suitable and using the appropriate equipment,” said the Minister.

Minister of State at the Dept. of Agriculture, Martin Heydon said that while farming was a high-risk occupation, the risks could be managed in order to minimise these incidents.

“The mobile phone is an essential safety tool and farmers should always keep it with them, particularly when working away from the house or farmyard,” said Martin Heydon.

He also urged everyone in rural communities to check on elderly neighbours and those living alone. “It is important to keep in regular contact with neighbours over the winter,” he added. The public has also been advised to long onto:  www.gov.ie/WinterReady. for helpful tips and advice.

Uisce Éireann has also advised households and businesses in Galway to take what they describe as ‘a few easy preventative measures’ to help avoid the disruption of supply and the cost of expensive repairs.

Margaret Attridge of Uisce Éireann urged people to check outside troughs and taps and to familiarise themselves with the stopcock water cut-off point, in the event of a burst pipe inside the house.

“We also recommend that people don’t run taps continually as this is not an effective way of preventing frozen pipes and can cause other problems such as frozen drains.

“It also puts further pressure on water supplies that are already challenged by the freezing conditions. Being mindful of water use at home, on farms and in businesses can make a big difference,” said Margaret Attrridge.

Uisce Éireann also advised customers who want to stay safe, warm and comfortable during the cold snap to log onto: Winterproofing | Help | Uisce Éireann  for useful advice and guidelines.

Met Éireann is predicting an end to our cold snap through the course of this Friday [Jan. 10th] as a milder and wetter Atlantic system moves in from the south-west with temperatures creeping back up into double figures by Monday next.

Pictured: Portumna Golf Club restaurant staff Padraig Dermody and Gary Cunniffe brave the cold to build a snowman.