08/01/2010
Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.
STATEMENT Issued: 8th January 2010 at 4.00
The latest forecast from Met Eireann has advised that the wintry cold spell will continue over the weekend and for the early days of next week. The projected minimum tonight will be at least -7 degrees Centigrade. The outlook for the coming days shows no sign of improvement with further hail and snow showers likely on Saturday. On Saturday morning there will be a more prolonged spell of snow during the morning with accumulations of up to 5cm likely. Overnight on Saturday there is likely to be a few further snow showers with severe frost and ice forecast. Another spell of snow will affect the County overnight Sunday and Monday with falls of 5cm to 10cm expected. There will be strong easterly winds leading to drifting in places.
Road conditions throughout the County continue to require all drivers to exercise extreme care notwithstanding the extensive gritting programme which is under way and ongoing. The constant advice regarding the avoidance of non-essential journeys remains in place. Where it is necessary to undertake journeys, drivers should check the weather forecasts prior to departure and make sure that they have fully prepared for their journey. In particular the Council is still advising school authorities to seriously consider keeping schools in the County closed for the early days of next week, having regard to the current and forecasted conditions.
The Council’s gritting fleet are currently fully deployed and the resources of the Council’s Traffic Management Centre are being additionally deployed to supplement the ongoing organisation wide efforts. Gritting is taking place on an ongoing basis. Further gritting materials have been and are being delivered and a fully programmed gritting run on the 343 km of roads that constitute our scheduled routes will be undertaken later this evening and first thing tomorrow morning. This level of gritting is programmed over the entire weekend.
Members of the public can check the current traffic conditions on individual roads by logging on to the Council’s website at this link http://traffic.southdublin.ie/traffic_cams/traffic_cameras.aspx .
Additional staff, plant and machinery from all other departments within the Council have been deployed to clear snow and ice from footpaths in the main commercial and shopping areas in our towns and villages. These clearance works will continue tomorrow. Attention is also being directed towards other important facilities in the county including hospitals and health care units, libraries and other community facilities etc. The Council would also endorse recent calls to individuals and businesses to assist local authorities by clearing the area outside their house or premises.
The Council also wishes to advise its customers who would normally receive a Grey Bin collection on a Monday that their next collection which would normally take place on Monday 11th January next, will take place tomorrow, Saturday 9th January 2010. Customers are advised to leave their bin out for collection by 7.30am. These changes are necessary due to previously missed calls owing to the inclement weather and in anticipation of forecasted conditions next week. Customers who are aware of these changes are asked to notify their neighbours of the changed arrangements. Further details are available on the Council’s website www.sdcc.ie .
South Dublin County Council is also appealing to water consumers to conserve water and not to leave taps running during this current cold spell.
Further advices on all of these matters will issue as soon as possible and in the meantime updates and additional information is available on the Council’s website: www.sdcc.ie
ENDS
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Snow Clearing 8th January 2010 -
Snow Clearing 8th January 2010 -
Snow Clearing 8th January 2010 -
Snow Clearing 8th January 2010