Met Éireann has placed three northwest counties under a Status Yellow rain warning as Ireland braces for a weekend of unsettled weather conditions.
The national weather service issued the warning for Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo on Thursday morning, which came into effect at 10am and will remain active until Friday at 10am. Forecasters are warning of “spells of heavy rain with a chance of isolated thunderstorms” that could lead to localised flooding, poor visibility and hazardous driving conditions.
Thursday’s weather will be characterised by cool and breezy conditions with sunny intervals interrupted by heavy showers. Some areas may experience thunderstorms and hail, with temperatures struggling to reach between 13 and 16 degrees Celsius. Evening conditions will see continued clear spells and showers, particularly in western counties, with overnight temperatures dropping to between 7 and 10 degrees.
Friday promises similar conditions with cool, breezy weather featuring sunshine and heavy showers. More persistent rainfall is expected to develop in western regions by late afternoon before spreading eastward throughout the evening, with temperatures remaining below 16 degrees.
The weekend outlook continues the unsettled pattern, with Saturday bringing mixed sunny spells and scattered heavy downpours. Sunday morning will see rain spreading northeast across the country, accompanied by fresh southeasterly winds, extending the period of challenging weather conditions for outdoor activities.