Met Éireann forecaster Joanna Donnelly has hit back at Fair City actor Rory Cowan after he questioned the need for weather warnings in recent days.

With the country feeling sub-zero temperatures and some parts covered in snow, the weather has topped much of the news agenda since last week.

Cowan, a former star of Mrs Brown’s Boys, criticised what he described as “alarmist scaremongering” from the media and forecasters.

Mr Cowan posted on X: “The national broadcaster and those in the know say there’s a serious weather event in Ireland. They issued a warning about it over the last few days. What serious weather event? I haven’t seen much evidence of it so far”.

A new Status Orange weather warning has been issued for 22 counties today while more than 10,000 households and businesses are still without electricity and thousands still without water. Tomorrow will see 25 counties placed under Status Orange warning for low temperatures with the mercury expected to drop to -8C.

Met Éireann meteorologist Joanna Donnelly responded sarcastically to Mr Cowan saying: “Rory you should take a drive to Limerick, bring a care package to the vulnerable there trying to cope. Oh and DON’T check your tread depth or tyre pressure before you set off. DON’T steer in to a skid, just slam on your brakes really hard if you start to slide…be grand.”

He then retorted: “Or I could just use my common sense and not buy into the alarmist scaremongering.”

Mr Cowan parted ways with Mrs Brown’s Boys creator Brendan O’Carroll in 2017 and has since had a stint on Fair City as well as Dancing With The Stars.

Ms Donnelly who has worked for Met Éireann for 24 years is currently performing on Dancing With The Stars which started last Sunday.