Met Éireann has issued a Status Orange wind warning for one county in the south of the country and extended its Status Yellow warning for Ireland as a whole, as Atlantic storm system Elsa approaches.
Issued this afternoon, Wednesday, December 18, at 2:00pm, the orange alert was issued for Co. Cork and will be valid from 6:00pm this evening until 9:00pm tonight.
According to the national meteorological office, a small deepening depression, associated with the Atlantic storm system Elsa, will track northwards close to the Atlantic seaboard this evening.
Meanwhile, the Status Yellow wind warning issued yesterday for the country as a whole was been extended; initially a 12-hour warning, the alert came into effect at 12:00pm today. It will now remain in place until 3:00am tomorrow morning.
South-east winds, later veering southerly, will gust 90-110kph today. Winds will peak this evening and tonight, Met Éireann warns, while stronger winds are possible in west and south-west coastal areas.
Finally, a Status Yellow rainfall warning remains in place for eight counties.
In affected counties, heavy rain will push northeastwards today with rainfall accumulations of 30-40mm expected as well as the risk of localised flooding.