A weather warning for rain and thunderstorms from the national forecaster Met Éireann will continue until tomorrow morning, with most of the country affected.
The Status Yellow warning was issued yesterday (Thursday, August 5) and will be valid from this morning (Friday) at 9:00a.m.
At present, the warning for thunderstorms and rain is set to be in effect for 24 hours and will expire at 9:00a.m tomorrow morning (Saturday).
A warning for thunderstorm activity was initially issued on Wednesday this week.
The affected areas include all of Connacht, as well as counties Donegal; Cavan; Monaghan; Louth; Meath; Westmeath; Offaly; Longford; Tipperary; Clare; Limerick; and Kerry – 17 counties altogether.
Met Éireann predicts that thunderstorm activity with the risk of hail will lead to localized flooding and hazardous driving conditions.
The Munster counties affected by the warning – Tipperary, Clare, Limerick and Kerry – will see longer spells of rain than elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the UK Met Office has issued the equivalent warning for all counties in Northern Ireland.
The Yellow warning for thunderstorm activity – affecting counties Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry, Antrim, Down and Armagh – will see slow-moving, heavy downpours – some of which will be thundery – which may cause flooding and travel disruption.
This warning came into effect from 4:00a.m this morning (Friday) and will remain in place until 23:59p.m tonight.
Met Éireann blight advisory
Back in the Republic, the national forecaster has also issued an advisory notice that conditions conducive to the spread of potato blight will occur in all areas on Thursday and Friday, becoming mostly confined to the northern half of the country and parts of the southwest for the weekend.
Opportunities for spraying will be limited.