Met Éireann has issued status yellow weather warnings for 18 counties across Ireland as unsettled conditions are set to impact the country this weekend.
Twelve counties in the Republic – Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Wexford and Wicklow – will be under status yellow wind and rain warnings from 2am until 3pm on Sunday.
Four counties – Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo – will continue under a status yellow wind warning until midnight Sunday. The potential impacts include difficult travel conditions, localised flooding, fallen trees, loose debris, and poor visibility.
In Northern Ireland, the six counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry will be under a status yellow wind warning from 3am until 3pm Sunday, which forecasters warn may lead to disruption.
Friday’s weather is expected to be wet and windy with occasionally heavy rain and possible spot flooding. However, brighter conditions with sunny spells and scattered showers will gradually extend from the west this afternoon. Strong southerly winds should ease later, with highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees.
According to the Breaking News, Friday night may bring isolated thunderstorms and hail as showers retreat to Atlantic coastal counties, while eastern areas remain mostly clear. Temperatures will drop to between 3 and 7 degrees.
Saturday offers respite with a bright day featuring plenty of sunshine and just a few passing showers mainly affecting western and northwestern regions. Highest temperatures will reach 10 to 12 degrees.
Sunday will deteriorate with wet and windy conditions early, featuring widespread rain that will gradually clear eastwards through the morning and afternoon. Strong to gale-force southwest winds will bring scattered blustery showers, some heavy with isolated thunderstorms. Temperatures will reach 11 to 14 degrees.
Sunday night will bring clear spells with scattered showers, heaviest in western areas, and lowest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees as southwest winds gradually ease overnight.