The weekend weather forecast indicates that it will be a cold New Year’s weekend with a lull in the windy conditions but a continuation of showers across many parts of the country.
A Status Yellow rain warning which has been in effect for Cavan, Donegal, Longford and Connacht, overnight will expire at 8:00a.m. A Status Yellow rain warning issued by the UK Met Office for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry will remain in place until 10:00a.m today.
Starting with today’s forecast (Friday, December 30), it will be wet and windy this morning with fresh to strong and very gusty southwesterly winds.
Met Éireann has said that there will be showery outbreaks of rain at first, with heavy falls and localised flooding, clearing eastwards leaving sunny spells and scattered showers for the afternoon.
While there will be a brief lull in the winds, they will increase fresh to strong and gusty for the afternoon, easing again into the evening. Highest temperatures today will range from 7° to 10°C.
It will be largely dry at first tonight with a few showers. Showers will become more widespread through the night with longer spells of rain developing for much of Munster and Leinster.
It will be driest and coldest in parts of the north and west, with lowest temperatures of -1° to +3°, with frost and patches of fog developing. It will be milder elsewhere with lowest temperatures of 3° to 6° in mostly light to moderate southerly winds, fresher near southern coasts.
Weekend weather forecast
Tomorrow Saturday morning (New Years Eve), showers or longer spells of rain will affect mainly the northern half of the country with drier and brighter conditions further south.
Showery outbreaks of rain will push up from the south over much of the country through the afternoon and evening.
Highest temperatures will range from 2° to 6° in the north and west, and ranging 6° to 9° further south, in mostly light variable breezes but fresher at times in the south and southwest.
On Saturday night, showery outbreaks of rain will continue to track northwards, with some falls of sleet possible, especially on high ground. Further showers will follow in the clearance, mainly affecting southern and western coastal areas.
Lowest temperatures will range from 1° to 5° with frost developing in the north. Southerly winds will be mostly light to moderate, allowing some mist and fog patches to develop, but it will be fresher along southern coasts.
On Sunday (New Year’s Day), current indications from Met Éireann are that there will be a mix of cloud and sunny spells along with showers, some turning wintry. There will also be the chance of isolated thunderstorms. Highest temperatures are expected to range from 4° to 8°.
It will be a very cold night on Sunday night with lowest temperatures of -3° to 0°. It will become largely dry and clear as showers become more isolated. Moderate westerly winds will back southwesterly and ease light with fog patches developing.
Outlook for next week
Monday looks set to be a cool and largely dry day with good deals of sunshine and just a few passing light showers, mainly affecting southern and Atlantic coasts.
Highest temperatures on Monday of just 2° to 6° in light to moderate southerly winds, freshening in the west and southwest later. It will be dry early on Monday night but outbreaks of rain and drizzle will extend northeastwards to most areas by morning.
Lowest overnight temperatures on Monday night are expected to range from -1° to +4°, coldest in the north and east before the rain arrives.
Tuesday will be a largely dull day with outbreaks of rain clearing eastwards from most areas by early afternoon before another spell of rain moves eastwards across the country through the late afternoon and evening.
It will turn milder as well with highest temperatures of 6° to 11° (north to southwest). Current indications suggest that the rest of the week will be unsettled with spells of rain and showers.
In terms of field conditions, currently, all soils are saturated and poorly drained soils are waterlogged. With further rainfall and virtually no drying in the coming week, there will be little change in soil conditions. Poor trafficability can be expected to continue.