Current Severe Weather

Beasty

Fingal CC have posted the following message on their website:

Fingal County Council has 185 staff presently deployed in snow and ice clearing operations.
This consists of 13 staff working on gritting of motorways and the main road network. See our list of Winter Salting Routes for more details.
An additional 172 staff are deployed in different towns and areas across the county. These crews are using other machinery and are working in priority areas such as entrances to fire stations, railway stations, pedestrian crossing areas, access to transport nodes and bus shelters, entrances to housing estates, entrances to burial grounds and ice breaking in town centres/populated areas.
Our crews will also treat areas that fall outside these categories, but which are known from past experience to give rise to difficult driving/walking conditions due to gradients etc.
Water Services crews are on standby to deal with any problems caused by bursts/leaks in the water network. Any updates will be posted on our Water Emergency Page.
Our Waste Collection crews will endeavour to collect refuse as normal. In the event that we are unable to do so due to the weather conditions, we will return as soon as possible.
Updates will be posted on this page regularly, and you can follow us on Twitter (fingalcoco).

They have also posted some useful tips and links on teh same page

Given the warnings of potentially significant snowfall overnight, I would request posters update this thread with any problems they become aware of, rather than start separate threads for particular areas/incidents.

Hopefully it won't be as bad as some reports suggest, but given the conditions please keep an eye out for the vulnerable in our society.

Eoineo

I wouldn't rely on the Fingal CoCo twitter feed it is rarely used. Hubby will be travelling towards Dublin from 6am tomorrow so I'll update with any problems he may encounter then.

www.schooldays.ie & www.98fm.ie will have the lists of closed schools tomorrow updated as and when they get the information. Safe travelling everyone.

Beasty

The roads into Dublin from Skerries were reasonably clear this morning - we don't seem to have much snow overnight (although I understand there may have been a bit more inland)

There was more snow the nearer I got to Dublin (it looks like Southside has taken the brunt of it overnight), with quite a bit of slush around in the urban areas, and the footpaths still covered in snow/ice.

It looks like it's going to get colder though, and there is a lot of slush/water lying around that can quickly turn to ice. The forecast for tonight looks pretty bad, with sub-zero temperatures, strong winds and the likelihood of more snow

Eoineo

Similar reports here. North County Dublin seems to have thawed out overnight. It is icy in places so caution is still needed. If the temperature does drop as expected then we can expect black ice.

doolox

Started chucking it down just 5 mins ago......

Wishbone Ash

The weather doesn't seem to be anywhere near as bad as forecasted especially here in Rush. I just cycled into Dublin and back again and encountered no problems. A lot of slush in the Dublin 2 area but plain sailing there and back. Perhaps the bad weather has yet to come.

cathy01

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The weather doesn't seem to be anywhere near as bad as forecasted especially here in Rush. I just cycled into Dublin and back again and encountered no problems. A lot of slush in the Dublin 2 area but plain sailing there and back. Perhaps the bad weather has yet to come.

Cant believe you cycled into Dublin, fair play to you.Pat on the back....:)

Wishbone Ash

cathy01 wrote: »

Cant believe you cycled into Dublin, fair play to you.Pat on the back....:)

Thanks - I do it regularly. Usually have my breakfast in there and come home again.

Peckham

Interesting discussion on the Weather forum which suggests that the reason that NCD isn't getting as much snow is because we're in the "shadow" of the Isle of Man which is the direction that the weather is coming from at the moment.

See this weather chart for example:

Elessar

Does anyone know from what time the gritters work from?

I work in the airport and all this week I'll be leaving swords at about 4am to get to work. The first morning of this snow there was no road clearing at all - the place was like an icerink.

Alan Farrell

Update from the Council today.



Dear Councillor

Severe Weather Conditions – Update – 4.45pm

Fingal County Council staff are continuing to salt roads, key public transport facilities and main access nodes. Our supervisors and depot staff are using their local knowledge to work with businesses, schools and householders to manage this in as effective as manner as possible.

We are monitoring the Met Eireann weather forecast and will be ready to respond appropriately should there be any deterioration in the weather into this evening and tonight.

The network of communication you provide for us is most valuable in making us aware of any particular local difficulty that may otherwise escape our attention. Please contact us on foot of any such issue that comes to your attention.

Kind regards

Ann Murphy,
Assistant Communications Officer
Fingal County Council,
County Hall,
Swords,
Co. Dublin

T: 01-8905000
www.fingalcoco.ie
Aertel P624
Follow us on twitter.com/fingalcoco

Wishbone Ash

Elessar wrote: »

Does anyone know from what time the gritters work from?

It probably depends on how much they're done already as I think there is a restriction on overtime.
A FCC gritter worker lives near me. On normal situations, when a heavy frost is expected, he takes the truck home with a full load at night and leaves at about 2am. Probably different with the current spell though.

Bear in mind that grit/salt isn't much use in heavy snow that hasn't been reduced with a plough.

RobFowl

Balrothery is lethal at the moment. Sheet ice covered with snow now. Pretty much all the roads uphill are close to impassable and the footpaths are navigable with extreme caution.
Walked down to Dave's Gala earlier with the kids and my 4 year old gymnast went on his ear at least 4 times.
Be careful out there...

p1x1e

Agreed on Balrothery being bad- the OH couldn't get our car into the estate so had to leave it and walk (slide) to the house. I'm hoping it'll be easier in the morning. Lots of cars were sliding. :-(

wow sierra

Peckham wrote: »

Interesting discussion on the Weather forum which suggests that the reason that NCD isn't getting as much snow is because we're in the "shadow" of the Isle of Man which is the direction that the weather is coming from at the moment.

See this weather chart for example:

We were suggesting (after many pints;)) that it was nuclear fallout from Sellafield that was causing the strange oasis feeling here in Balbriggan - glad to get a realistic suggestion. Mind you we seem to be joining the real world with the snow tonight:rolleyes:

Eoineo

Update at 6.50am.

Many bus services in NCD have been cancelled and/or curtailed. The hill of Howth is impassable. There is ice under the snow and the roads are lethal. Please be careful out there. Many more schools are closed than for the past 2 days.

The Muppet

St. Finians CC swords closed again today due to changing weather conditions, It was due to reopen.

Peckham

Can those in NCD during the day today please keep those of us in work informed of changing conditions, in case we need to bail out and get home.

Don't know what it's like at the moment, but it's continuous blizzard where I am (Blackrock).

cathy01

Yep, will do.

Peckham

Thanks Cathy - has the weather in NCD gotten worse this morning? Is it snowing there at the moment (am particularly interested in Lusk area!)

iMax

Just stopped snowing in Dublin 13. Can see a break in the clouds (from my electric blanketed bed), but still heavy cloud there.

Well done to that cyclist!!

cathy01

Cloudy, with blue sky.Not snowing.Kids are off out to play as there is no school.Update later,Cathy

Dizzyblonde

Peckham wrote: »

has the weather in NCD gotten worse this morning? Is it snowing there at the moment (am particularly interested in Lusk area!)

There's only been a very light flurry here in Swords.

dubmick

There is a tractor bringing cars up the hill at Balrothery. Using the courtlough exit onto the R132 would be your best bet if you need to leave 'upper' Balrothery.

_blank_

I'm due in work on a 1.30 to 10pm shift, coming in from Finglas

M50-M1 off the M1 at the Lusk exit and back down to Swords from there, anyone know the current state of the Roads for that journey?

Cheers folks, trying to decide if I'll go in or not

cathy01

Snowing in Balbriggan now, quite heavy.

AlliOD

Lusk had a light flurry of snow but sun is shining now, there is definitely a thaw out there but roads in our estate (Lusk Village) are icy.
Good Luck to all commuters out there!

dubmick

Actually forget about Courtlough too, impassable.

dirtyghettokid

sunshine very bright up here between lusk & naul... was snowing earlier but died down...

Stheno

no snow in Swords at the moment.

Morpheus

Theres been a bad single vehicle smash on chapel street in Balbriggan, outside the entrance to tara court.

firebrigade and 2 ambulances there

avoid the area if possible

please can you request they salt or grit the road ASAP it is absolutely lethal.

afterhours

I work tonight and I take the 101 bus to swords from balbriggan.
I work at 6 until 10 pm.. does anyone know if we're expected to get dumped on tonight?? I don't know where to look for accurate weather forecasts here...

I dont want to be stranded in swords.. I wanna be cozy in bed.

Peckham

The word on the Weather forum here (where the predictions have been better than Met Eireann) is that the wind could shift direction later today, which will take North Dublin out of the shadow of the Isle of Man and possibly dump some proper snow on us.

Of course, weather isn't 100% predictable, so that could all change.

Beasty

There was a relatively small amount of traffic on my inward commute this morning (a lt less than normal for the time of day) - a lot of the roads had a covering of snow, bu it was not as icy as I had feared.

I'm currently sat in my offfice overlooking the N32. We keep getting flurries, it settles on the road then the snow stops and the traffic clears the road again.

The traffic is flowing remakably smoothly (I was in town earlier, and the M1 to the tunnel was clear - it did not look as if anything was backing up northwards either). I think the amount of traffic around is significantly less than normal, and most drivers seem to be driving very sensibly

I guess the real test will be when everyone starts heading home, although I'm anticipating a very long "rush-hour", with a lot of people trying to get off early. Hopefully this will help minimise issues, but with another night of very low temperatures forecast I suspect tomorrow may end up a bit like today

I'll be picking up some bags of sand on the way home to put some weight in the boot and give me a bit more traction ...

bcmf

First of all do not try and use Courtlough to get to Balrothery. Courtlough is one of the worst roads in any kinda frosty/snowy weather. If you do get to the top you still have a treachourous drive down to Balrothery. Trust me this is rom hard won experience.
If you do need to get home or from Balrothery the main (N1) seems fine. However once in Balrothery and if you need to get up the hill to Rosepark/Balruddery estate my advice judging from what I saw this morn is park the car in the Inn.
Coming down from Rosepark/Balruddery are DO NOT go down by the car park but around the front of the Bar to Dave's gala-Roundabout.That nasty bend at the bottom of the car park has claimed at least 1 car this morn.

Stheno

Just heard on the radio that the coast road from Sutton to Killbarrack (sp?) is treacherous with vans and buses sliding along it, so avoid it if you can.

The Muppet

Light snow is swords at the moment.

Stheno

For anyone who might be heading to JC's, the car park driving areas are fine, but the car park slots themselves are very slushy and icy, nearly fell on my butt after getting out of the car.

Eoineo

Dublin Airport is closed until 19.00. Some flights are being redirected to Shannon. I can't emphasise enough how dangerous the ice on the roads is. If you are travelling by car it's a good idea to have an emergency kit with you to include mobile phone credit, blanket, high energy snacks and drinks. If nothing else you may be able to help a traveller in need.

The Muppet

Just in from a trip to Feltrim, The feltrim road is very bad, swords by pass is clear.

dsmythy

If anyone sees buses traveling around swords or is on a bus to swords it would be helpful to let people know when they are running

iMax

Apparently there's an accident on the dartline northbound (not sure where) & they're waiting on an ambulance so all darts are delayed even more

sNarah

Dear god, I must be in a different universe!!

KNEE DEEP nearly around the house - roads haven't been gritted AT ALL around here and little traffic so on some roads not even a track to follow!

Left for work this morning at 6.30 to arrive for 9 but got the text then to say school was closed, happy days! Got stuck twice yesterday on a deserted road (nearly started crying too!), 3 cars passed and didn't even look!! But then a nice fella gave me a push and off I went again...

Garristown yesterday morning, could barely make it up the "hill" in the village, had to slide down 3 times and try again! And then slippedy slippedy onto the N2, some deep ditches to the side, so stressfull! Had to pull over at some point just to calm myself down and catch my breath

So today I had a snowday!! Huzzah! And most likely tomorrow too!

here's what I did :rolleyes:

The Adventures of Toto - the Keyboard Dinosaur

Toto doesn't like the snow much...


Because SOMEBODY thought I'd be great craic making Xmas cards in the snow and put Toto in the snow to model...


And it was so hard to walk in this sort of weather, but Toto tried his best anyway!



But, despite the cold, he did manage a big smile!

Stheno

Passed both a 33 and a 41 in service heading into the city from Swords in Swords itself about 10 minutes ago.

Beasty

Latest Fingal CC update

Wednesday 01st December - The weather forecast into tonight predicts heavy snowfall, and our salting/gritting operations will give priority to national primary routes and major bus routes. We will endeavour to treat roads on our Salting Routes as soon as possible.

WATER SERVICES
Water Services crews are on standby to deal with any problems caused by bursts/leaks in the water network. Any updates will be posted on our Water Emergency Page.
WASTE COLLECTION

Our Waste Collection crews will endeavour to collect refuse as normal. In the event that we are unable to do so due to the weather conditions, we will return as soon as possible.

• Wednesday 01st December: Our Waste Collection trucks are unable to access routes at The Grove, Robswall, Seapark and Biscayne in Malahide and Holywell in Swords today due to weather conditions.

Eoineo

I'm sure most of you are aware by now but just to confirm: Dublin Bus services ceased at 20.00 and Bus Eireann services to NCD are also not running.

You should check with them in the am before you travel. Unfortunately neither websites were able to deal with the traffic today so if anyone gets info early tomorrow can they please replay here. Cheers!

Neil_Sedaka

Regarding water shortages or burst mains, it's always handy in severe temperatures to half fill the bath. At least you can flush the jaxx with it, if the water goes off.

Just half fill a bucket or basin from the bath and dump it into the bowl after your movement!

Any unused water should be recycled where possible, by watering plants or bathing in, if ye don't mind cold water.

Do not attempt to pour any unused water back up the tap, that would just be silly!

Corsendonk

Neil_Sedaka wrote: »

Regarding water shortages or burst mains, it's always handy in severe temperatures to half fill the bath. At least you can flush the jaxx with it, if the water goes off.

Just half fill a bucket or basin from the bath and dump it into the bowl after your movement!

Any unused water should be recycled where possible, by watering plants or bathing in, if ye don't mind cold water.

Do not attempt to pour any unused water back up the tap, that would just be silly!

Screwed!! Don't have a bath, just have to use the snowdrift outside my door

Neil_Sedaka

Indeed! Melted snow would be a very good alternative.

Wishbone Ash

I had an interesting journey from Stamullen back to Rush tonight in my rear wheel drive. Stamullen is like a different country with no sign of gritting. Very bad at the bridge over the M1 near Gormanston College.

undermeoxter

Neil_Sedaka wrote: »

Regarding water shortages or burst mains, it's always handy in severe temperatures to half fill the bath. At least you can flush the jaxx with it, if the water goes off.

Just half fill a bucket or basin from the bath and dump it into the bowl after your movement!

Any unused water should be recycled where possible, by watering plants or bathing in, if ye don't mind cold water.

Do not attempt to pour any unused water back up the tap, that would just be silly!

Rather than advising people to stock-pile water (which, in turn, caused a drought in the "Big Freeze" at the beginning of the year) a friend of mine from Denmark has some tricks for coping with bad weather at her website: http://yarnclasses.com/?p=2766
including:

"If you have no running water due to frozen pipes, go out into the snow and find the fattest layer of snow and scoop some into a pot. Go in and heat it and you will have enough water for a ‘cuppa’ at least."