Multiple Met Eireann weather warnings have been issued for a wet and windy weekend.
The country is set to be blasted by thunderstorms, lightning and torrential downpours, which could lead to flooding in parts.
A Status Orange alert for Rain affects Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Roscommon, Sligo and Waterford.
The warning lasts just four hours from 4am until 8am on Sunday and reads: “Local intense rainfall (50mm), and squalls likely.”
A squall is defined as a brief, sudden, violent windstorm, often accompanied by rain or snow.
A separate Status Yellow Rain warning has been issued for the entire country from 1am until 10am Sunday.
It says: “Heavy rain will move northwards across much of the country tonight, clearing from the north and northwest on Sunday morning. Some torrential downpours are expected in parts, resulting in surface flooding. There is also the potential for thunderstorm activity and lightning strikes.”
Both warnings come on top of a nationwide Advisory that is in place until 7pm on Monday, which says: “Wet and windy weather this weekend may cause disruption.”
It comes as the meteorological service updated its weekend forecast, giving details of what certain areas can expect.
For Saturday, it said: “Today will start off cloudy and wet for much of Ulster and Leinster, with rain slowly clearing northeastwards through the afternoon and evening. Elsewhere, there will be a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers, turning heavy and thundery locally.
“Temperatures will be cooler than in recent days with highs of 14C to 17C. Winds will be mainly light southeasterly, though it will be breezy at times near coasts.
“Turning very wet in many areas tonight. There will be clear spells and scattered showers at first, but more persistent showery rain, accompanied by local thunder and strengthening southeasterly winds, will then sweep northwards over the country.
“The rain will be very heavy in places, bringing a possibility of localised flooding with some lightning strikes. Lowest temperatures of 7C to 11C. Becoming blustery in many areas, especially along eastern and northern coasts.”
Looking ahead to Sunday, it continued: “Heavy rain with local thunder and lightning will clear to the northwest tomorrow morning, although southeasterly winds will remain very blustery in some areas throughout the day.
“The afternoon and early evening will be largely sunny with just isolated showers. Later on, however, a further band of heavy rain will push in from the southwest. Highest temperatures of 16C to 20C.
“Rain or showers will extend northwards on Sunday night, though some areas may remain dry. Lowest temperatures of 11C to 14C with southeasterly winds remaining very blustery near coasts.”
Met Eireann says its set to remain very unsettled for the early days of next week, with further heavy outbreaks of rain possible.
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