Met Éireann has issued both Status Orange and Status Yellow weather warnings which together cover every county in the country.
As Storm Barra approaches Ireland, the national forecaster has seen fit to issue Status Orange warnings for the counties most directly affected – Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Galway.
In these counties tomorrow (Tuesday, December 7, and at night), southerly winds, later becoming northwesterly, will reach mean speeds of 65km/h to 80km/h with severe or damaging gusts of up to 130km/h, possibly higher in coastal areas.
Disruption to power and travel are likely.
High waves, high tides, heavy rain and storm surge will lead to wave overtopping and a significant possibility of coastal flooding.
The Orange Warning will come into force from 6:00a.m tomorrow and will be in place for 24 hours until 6:00a.m Wednesday (December 8).
Meanwhile, a Status Yellow warning will come into effect for all other provinces and counties from 6:00a.m tomorrow, which will also be in place for 24 hours.
In counties under the Yellow Warning, Storm Barra will bring very strong winds and spells of heavy rain across Ireland. Winds will be strongest in western coastal counties with severe or damaging gusts possible.
Heavy rain will bring localised flooding. There will also be high waves at sea and a significant possibility of coastal flooding on south and west coasts.
The UK Met Office has also issued a ‘Yellow’ weather warning for all counties in Northern Ireland, coming into effect at 9:00a.m tomorrow morning and remaining in place until midnight tomorrow.
Weather for the week
Looking at the general weather picture this week, it will be cold and blustery today with sunny spells and scattered showers. Showers will be frequent in the west and north with hail, isolated thunderstorms and some wintry falls on hills.
Maximum afternoon temperatures will generally range from 4° to 7° in fresh to strong and gusty westerly winds.
Tonight, showers will die out early and it will become dry for a time with a touch of frost in places. However, later in the night southeast winds will increase strong to gale force and gusty, and outbreaks of heavy rain will develop in the southwest, sweeping across the country early Tuesday morning.
Lowest temperatures will be -1° to +3° early in the night.
It will become extremely windy tomorrow as Storm Barra approaches from the Atlantic. A band of heavy and squally rain will sweep northeastwards across the country during the morning followed by widespread squally showers. Falls of sleet and hill snow are likely in places, especially across the northwest during the morning.
Severe and damaging wind gusts are expected, especially in coastal parts of Munster and Connacht with some disruption possible. Gale to storm force southeast winds will veer west and later northwest in direction with a possibility of coastal flooding. Maximum temperatures tomorrow will be 6° to 9°.
It will remain very windy or stormy on Tuesday night as the centre of Storm Barra tracks over Ireland. There will be frequent squally showers – some wintry with hail – and isolated thunderstorms.
Further damaging and possibly disruptive wind gusts are expected, especially in Atlantic coastal counties with gale to storm force west to northwest winds. It will be a cold night, with lowest temperatures of 1° to 4°.
It will be a cold and windy day on Wednesday with some bright spells but also widespread showers, some wintry in nature. Highest temperatures will be 4° to 7° in strong to gale force northwest winds.
Winds will abate somewhat on Wednesday night with clear spells and scattered showers. Lowest temperatures will generally range between 1° to 5°.
Rain will affect parts of the southwest at times on Thursday (December 9) but it will be mostly dry elsewhere with bright spells and just a few passing showers. Highest temperatures will be 6° to 9° in light or moderate west winds.
Outbreaks of rain will push eastwards early on Thursday night, clearing during the night to well-scattered showers. Lowest temperatures will be 1° to 5° in moderate to fresh northwest winds.
Early indications show that Friday (December 10) will be a cold and bright day with sunny spells and passing showers of rain or hail. However, it will cloud over in the southwest later with rain moving in soon after dark. Maximum temperatures will be 5° to 8°.