Heavy rain and high winds are set to rock Ireland for the next few hours as Storm Aileen arrives, with multiple warnings issued by Met Eireann.

A status yellow rainfall warning has been issued for counties Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo. Issued earlier today, the warning came into effect at 2:00pm – it is set to remain in place for the next 24 hours.

Heavy rain is expected, with locally thundery bursts developing today. Conditions will turn more showery tonight and tomorrow, with total accumulations of 25mm to 40mm in parts of the country.

Meanwhile, gusts of over 100kph are expected in parts of the country today, as a status yellow wind warning has also been issued by Met Eireann.

The warning is set to affect Munster as well as counties Dublin, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow and Galway. It will remain in place until just before midnight tonight.

A deepening depression, dubbed Storm Aileen, is expected to track eastwards across the centre of Ireland – from Galway to Dublin – this evening, with a band of very strong winds on its southern and western flanks.

These winds are forecast to affect coastal counties in the southwest, south and possibly parts of the east coast later in the day.

Southwest to west winds are expected to increase to mean speeds of between 50kph to 65kph, with gusts of 90kph to 110kph possible this afternoon in coastal counties in the southwest and south.

The severe winds are set to become northwesterly and possibly transferring to parts of the east coast later this evening or early tonight, Met Eireann added.

Winds will be at their strongest in exposed coastal areas. The wind warning was issued earlier this morning and it come into effect at 2:00pm today, September 12.