After the very cold spell of recent days, the weather will turn wet and windy in the coming days as Storm Bert nears Ireland, according to Met Éireann.
The national forecaster has issued a Status Orange rainfall warning for counties Cork, Galway and Kerry, with these areas set to experience “intense falls of rain over a short period of time”.
The heavy rain will result in possible surface and river flooding, along with very difficult travelling conditions. The warning will come into effect from midnight tonight (Friday, November 22), and will remain in place until 10:00a.m tomorrow morning (Saturday, November 23).
A Status Yellow wind and rain warning will also be in place for the whole country from 10:00p.m tonight to 12:00p.m (noon) tomorrow. All parts of the country may experience localised flooding, travel disruption, and fallen trees.
In general, this morning will start cold and frosty with icy stretches. There will be scattered showers this morning, mainly of rain or sleet but isolated snow showers are possible.
The showers will die out from most areas through the afternoon and sunshine will become hazy. Highest temperatures will be 3° to 7° in light to moderate west to southwest winds.
Tonight will be very wet and windy as Storm Bert tracks to the northwest of Ireland. Heavy rain will extend across the country from the southwest, causing flooding in some areas.
Falls of sleet and snow are possible in the north and northwest too. There will be very strong and gusty south to southeast winds, with gales or strong gales on coasts. Lowest temperatures will be 0° to 5° early in the night, increasing overnight.
Very wet and windy conditions associated with Storm Bert will continue tomorrow morning, with widespread heavy rain causing flooding in some areas. The rain will ease for a time in the mid-afternoon as it moves eastwards but then more showery rain will move in from the west, which will be heavy at times.
There will be very strong and gusty southeast to south winds, with gales or strong gales near coasts. Highest temperatures tomorrow will be 12° to 15°.
Rain will clear eastwards early on Saturday night and will be followed by clear spells and scattered showers. It will continue windy with strong and gusty southerly winds. It will be a milder night, with lowest temperatures of 6° to 10°.
Sunday (November 24) will be another windy day with fresh to strong south to southwest winds, and gales, or strong gales, along coasts. While many areas will remain dry with sunny spells, scattered heavy showers will occur too, the focus of these across Atlantic counties. Highest temperatures will be 10° to 13°.
Sunday night will continue windy with fresh to strong southwest wind and gales along coasts. There will be a mix of clear spells and showers, with the showers being most frequent in Atlantic coastal counties, and with lowest temperatures of 5° to 7°.
Monday is set to be very blustery, with sunny spells and scattered heavy showers also, merging to longer spells of rain at times. Highest temperatures are expected to be 7° to 10° with fresh to strong southwest to west winds.