Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow weather warning for thunderstorms in 10 counties today (Tuesday, May 20).

The national forecaster said that the warning currently applies to counties Carlow; Kildare; Kilkenny; Laois; Offaly; Wicklow; Clare; Limerick; Tipperary; and Galway.

The alert will come into place at 11:00a.m and remain valid until 8:00p.m tonight.

Met Éireann said that the scattered thunderstorms will bring the risk of spot flooding and lightning damage.

The forecast shows that showers will develop over the southern half of the country this morning, becoming more widespread this afternoon.

Some of the showers will be heavy with thunderstorms and spot flooding possible. Light rain or drizzle will develop in the southwest this afternoon. Highest temperatures of 15° to 20°C in a light southerly or variable breeze.

The heavy showers will continue in places overnight with patchy rain and drizzle over the southern half of the country. It will become largely dry by morning with clear spells developing. Lowest temperatures of 4° to 9° in a light variable wind.

Over the next seven days, rainfall amounts are expected to trend above average with showery conditions through midweek.

This is forecast to be followed by widespread rainfall from Friday, with around 10-30mm of rainfall expected over entire week.

For the coming week, both mean air and soil temperatures will continue to be well above average for mid-May.

Generally, the mean air temperatures will trend 2° or 3° above the seasonal norm, which equates to between 12° and 14°.

As soil moisture deficits are above 50 mm in many areas, Met Éireann noted that growth is increasingly restricted.

Growth will continue to be increasingly restricted as soil moisture deficits will increase up to 60mm, highest in Munster.

With rainfall forecast from Friday, Met Éireann said that values will likely recover to between 20-50mm by next weekend.