Parts of Ireland look to be in for a battering over the coming days with stormy conditions forecast. The turbulent weather is being driven by several Atlantic systems, which are set to bring heavy, thundery rain and gale-force winds.
The impact of ex-Hurricane Ernesto, which roared through the North Atlantic last week, will be felt tonight. Its remnants are expected to drive intense downpours and strong winds, with fears this could lead to coastal flooding, wave over-topping, localised flooding, damage to temporary structures and difficult travelling conditions.
Met Eireann has issued an advance weather warning for counties Galway and Mayo. The eight-hour Status Yellow rain alert takes effect from 6.30pm. It warns: "Unseasonably strong and gusty south to southwest winds with spells of heavy rain and coinciding with very high tides. Impacts are most likely in coastal areas and on higher ground."
While Galway and Mayo are expected to suffer the worst of the stormy weather, the rest of the country won't escape unscathed. Weather maps show that Ernesto's remnants will cross the entire country.
The national forecaster said: "Breezy this afternoon with outbreaks of rain and drizzle mainly over the northern half of the country and gradually becoming confined to northern areas. A band of heavier rain and strong to gale force south to southwest winds will move in along the west coast later in the evening. Highest temperatures of 14C to 18C .
"Tonight will become wet and windy as rain spreads eastwards over Ireland, heavy at times and accompanied by strong, gusty southerly winds, with gales along parts of the west coast. Rain will clear eastwards from most parts overnight and winds will veer westerly and decrease moderate to fresh. Lowest temperatures of 11C to 14C."
You can track exactly when and where it will rain below.
You can track exactly when and where windy conditions will hit below.
Following tonight's stormy spell, yet another Atlantic system is expected to bring more wind and rain, as well as thunderstorms, on Thursday and Friday. Met Eireann said: "On Thursday, any remaining rain in the east will clear early in the morning. Sunny spells and a few scattered showers for much of the day. In the late afternoon, rain will develop in the southwest and will spread northeastwards through the evening, becoming heavy in places. Highest temperatures of 14C to 18C with mostly moderate west to southwest winds.
"Thursday night will be wet with heavy rain and some thundery downpours, and with the possibility of coastal and surface water flooding. The rain will clear northeastwards from most parts overnight. It'll be windy too, especially across southern and southwestern areas, with strong to gale force and gusty southerly winds, veering west to northwesterly and decreasing fresh to strong. Winds will be lighter and cyclonic variable for a time further north as an area of low pressure tracks in over the country. Lowest temperatures of 9C to 12C.
"Friday will be a blustery day with sunshine and showers, some of them heavy. The showers will be most frequent in the north and west, with the chance of a few isolated thunderstorms. Highest temperatures of 14C to 18C in mostly fresh and gusty westerly winds, backing southwesterly, the winds stronger in coastal parts of the west and north.
"Showers will become mainly confined to the west and north on Friday night, with long clear spells elsewhere. Lowest temperatures of 8C to 11C with southwesterly winds decreasing mostly moderate overland, fresher in coastal parts of the west and northwest."
It's not all bad news, as the meteorological service has promised: "It won't be as blustery over the weekend as recently, with some longer drier spells mixed in too and some sunshine, the best of this on Saturday."
The forecast for this weekend reads: "Saturday will be a bright day with sunshine and showers, some heavy. There'll be good dry spells too, especially further to the east and south. While Saturday won't be as blustery in general as previous days, it'll still be a breezy day with moderate to fresh and occasionally gusty westerly winds and the winds will still be strong at times in coastal parts of the north and northwest. The winds will generally decrease mostly light to moderate later in the evening. Highest temperatures of 14C to 18C.
"Sunday will start off mostly dry, with some sunshine for a time, especially in the midlands and east. However it's likely to become cloudier for a time from the west with some showery rain spreading eastwards. Becoming drier and brighter again later. Highest temperatures of 14C to 18C."
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