UPDATE 11.15PM: The entire country is now under Red Alert.
Further heavy snow showers will bring accumulations of significant levels with all areas at risk.
Blizzard conditions will develop from the south Thursday afternoon and evening as heavy snow and strong easterly winds bring snow drifts northwards over the country. Eastern and southern coastal counties will be worst affected.
The alert is valid until 3pm on Friday.
RED Snow-Ice Warning issued FOR ALL COUNTIES
Status: Red
Valid: Wed 11pm until Friday 3pm
Latest information & warning updates here:https://t.co/X6NncUghZ9 pic.twitter.com/nUlpHYwxzO— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) February 28, 2018
Earlier:
Another three weather warnings have been issued by Met Éireann tonight as large areas of the country prepare to effectively shut down tomorrow and Friday.
An updated Status Red Snow-ice Warning for Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Wicklow and Meath was issued this evening.
In the last hour, Met Eireann has added Wexford, Waterford and Cork to the Red Alert area.
The alert warns that "further disruptive heavy snow showers are expected overnight with significant accumulations".
Winter Storm: The worst has yet to come | Live updates: https://t.co/gIhs8E7RHM pic.twitter.com/QejaDQ9wJd
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 28, 2018
A Status Orange Snow-ice Warning for Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, Cavan and Galway stated: "Further snow showers tonight and on Thursday morning with significant accumulations expected".
Thursday is #Snowmageddon. #StormEmma lands in to clash with the #BeastFromTheEast from 4pm on. Status Red for Munster & Leinster with snow blizzards, heavy accumulations, gale force Easterly winds & wind chill back to -8 to -12C. Stay indoors; this is not a drill. @IrelandAMTV3 pic.twitter.com/pjDwJ8Oyvx
— Deric (@deric_tv) February 28, 2018
A Status Yellow Snow-ice Warning was also issued for for Donegal, Monaghan, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Clare, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary.
This warns of "scattered snow showers tonight and on Thursday morning with some accumulations".
All three warnings are in effect and are valid until noon tomorrow.
The previous Status Red Snow-ice Warning for Munster and Leinster and Status Orange warning for remaining counties come into effect at 4pm tomorrow and are valid until noon on Friday.
The ISPCC announced, with regret, that Childline will close its call, text and web chat services from 10pm tonight until 8am tomorrow.
"Any child or young person in danger, or in need of immediate help, in Ireland tonight should contact the emergency services at 999 or 112," it stated.
