Schools closed and travel disruption amid heavy NI snowfall

Forecasters have issued yellow weather warnings with further snow showers expected on Thursday. Credit: PressEye

Heavy overnight snow has caused further disruption across Northern Ireland on Thursday.

Road users are being advised to allow extra time for their journeys due to snow and ice.

The weather conditions have led to difficult driving conditions, with severe delays on the M1 between Portadown and Lisburn earlier.

The Road Service says windy weather throughout the morning may also cause drifting of lying snow.

Bus and rail services have also affected due to the wintery weather.

Translink says services are subject to disruption and advised passengers to check online for the latest updates.

There will be no enterprise trains between Belfast and Dublin for the remainder of the day. Services will continue to operate to Newry.

It is expected they will be off for Friday and will resume on Saturday morning depending on weather conditions.

Cross-border bus departures have also been cancelled, with operators to review services on Friday morning.

Over 300 schools have been closed mainly around parts of Belfast as well as in the south and south east.

  • A full list of the latest school closures is available here.

In sport and Ulster's Pro14 game at home to Glasgow on Friday has been postponed because of the severe weather warnings.

Snow has also affected a number of flights into and out of Belfast International and the George Best Belfast City Airport with cancellations and delays on routes to and from Scotland and the south of England.

An amber weather warning for snow in place in eastern parts of Northern Ireland has been extended until Friday morning, with a yellow weather warning in place elsewhere. Further snow showers accompanied by very low temperatures are forecast from Thursday and into the weekend.

In the Republic of Ireland, people have been advised to stay in doors from 4pm.

Met Eireann is warning of blizzards, severe thunderstorms and coastal flooding after issuing a red alert for the whole of the country.

  • Snow weather warning - information and advice: