Met Eireann has updated its weather warnings with brutal stormy conditions set to wreak havoc in parts of the country.
Homes and businesses in the affected areas could face flooding, difficult travelling conditions and overtopping waves throughout this evening and overnight.
A Status Yellow Rain warning was originally issued for Clare and Kerry, but Limerick is now also impacted. It’s already in force and lasts until 6am Friday. The alert reads: “Heavy showers will be prolonged or thundery at times with local hail, and some spot flooding is likely.”
A separate Status Yellow Wind warning was initially issued for Kerry and west Cork, but now also includes Clare and Limerick. It begins at 11pm Thursday and lasts until 4am Friday, warning: “Strong and very gusty west to northwest winds. Possible impacts: Difficult travelling conditions, Wave overtopping.”
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The warnings kick off a brutal five-day forecast, with heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail, mist, fog, frost and gusty winds all on the cards.
Giving a day-by-day breakdown of what to expect, the national forecaster said: “Cool and breezy for the rest of Thursday with sunny spells and widespread blustery showers. Some will be heavy and prolonged and may cause spot flooding, particularly in the southwest. Isolated hail showers and thunderstorms also. Moderate to fresh and gusty westerly winds will be strong at times in the west and southwest, with high seas also along Atlantic coasts. Highest temperatures of 6C to 10C.
“Widespread showers will continue early Thursday night, with hail and thunder possible. Some showers will be heavy and prolonged and may cause spot flooding. It will become drier overnight as showers become isolated and some mist and fog forms. Windy in places with very strong and gusty west to northwest winds in Munster and west Connacht, light to moderate elsewhere. Lowest temperatures of 0C to 6C, coldest in Ulster and Leinster where frost is possible.
“Friday will bring plenty of sunshine and scattered showers, mainly in the west and northwest at first and moving further east in the afternoon. Highest temperatures of 8C to 12C with light to moderate west to northwest winds, occasionally increasing fresh and gusty.
“Mostly dry and clear Friday night although isolated showers are possible near north-facing coasts. Mist and fog will form as winds ease light and variable. Cold with frost, as temperatures drop to between -1C and +3C.
“Frost and fog will clear Saturday morning and it will be dry and sunny for a time. Rain will develop in the southwest around lunchtime and will extend across Munster in the afternoon and evening. Other areas will stay dry but increasingly cloudy. Highest temperatures of 7C to 11C in a light to moderate easterly wind, freshening in the southwest.
“Wet Saturday night as rain moves northeast across the country, followed by showers. Lowest temperatures of 2C to 8C, coldest early in the night in the north. Becoming breezier as a moderate east to southeast wind develops.
“Rain and showers will continue on Sunday morning and afternoon, clearing eastwards by the evening leaving largely dry conditions with just isolated showers. Highest temperatures of 7C to 13C, coolest in Ulster, with mostly moderate variable winds however a spell of strong winds is possible in the south.
“Most areas will be dry Sunday night but there will be a few showers in the north and west and later the southwest. Lowest temperatures of 4C to 8C in a light southerly or variable wind.
“Widespread showers are forecast to develop on Monday. Highest temperatures of 9C to 14C degrees in a moderate south to southeast wind.”
In a further outlook for the rest of next week, Ireland’s meteorological agency said “it will stay unsettled with further spells of rain or showers”.
