Ireland will be blasted by two storms in quick succession this week as strong winds and even snow look set to arrive.
A Status Yellow wind warning for all of Ireland is in place for 24 hours from 12pm on Wednesday to 12pm on Thursday as a result of Storm Dudley.
Met Eireann says westerly winds associated with Storm Dudley will reach mean speeds of 50 – 65km/h and damaging gusts of 80 – 110km/h, with these stronger on exposed coasts and on high ground.
A combination of high tide and strong winds will lead to flooding on exposed coasts.
A Status Yellow wind alert will be in effect for Donegal from 9pm on Wednesday until 9am on Thursday.
Winds will reach mean speeds of 65 – 80km/h with damaging gusts of 100 – 130km/h in the county over the 12-hour period.
Following "a brief respite on Thursday" after Storm Dudley, Storm Eunice looks likely to track up over Ireland later that night and during Friday.
Met Eireann says it will bring with it "the potential for some severe winds countrywide and well as "the potential to bring falls of snow".
Before then, it will be a mostly dry start on Tuesday with some sunshine and just a few showers, though rain may linger in parts of the south for a time during the morning.
Afternoon temperatures will range between 5 and 9C in fresh westerly winds.
Another more active spell of rain extends from the west during the afternoon then spreads throughout the country by evening, bringing rain, with heavy falls, and localised flooding possible in the west.
It will be very wet on Tuesday night with widespread rain continuing to bring a risk of flooding in places.
The rain will eventually clear eastwards overnight followed by scattered showers. After a cooler evening temperatures later tonight will range between 9 and 11C in a strong westerly wind.
A forecaster said: "Wednesday will be a very windy day. Winds will increase strong to gale force with stormy conditions likely to develop in western and northern coastal counties and the risk of some coastal flooding due to wave overtopping.
"A wet day with scattered showers throughout but they will clear later in the evening with highs of 10 to 13C.
"Storm Dudley will track to the north of Ireland on Wednesday afternoon and evening. Warnings are in operation for the country.
"After a brief respite on Thursday, Storm Eunice looks likely to track up over Ireland later on Thursday night and during Friday, bringing with it the potential for some severe winds countrywide. It also has the potential to bring falls of snow.
"A very wind and wet evening in store for many of us [on Wednesday night]. Gale or strong gale force winds will affect areas in the far north of the country with blustery westerly winds elsewhere.
"Outbreaks of rain will become more persistent in the north of the country but gradually ease further south with lows overnight of 2 to 4C.
"Stormy conditions are likely to develop for a time around western and northern coastal areas with the risk of some coastal flooding from wave overtopping possible."
The forecaster continued for Thursday: "Another wet day for western areas with brisk northwest winds bringing in plenty of showers for coastal areas in the west and north. It will be a little drier and brighter further east however with highs of 7 to 11C.
"A change to far more unsettled weather as a developing weather system from the southwest brings spells of rain which will be heavy at times along with strong and blustery winds [on Thursday night].
"This will spread across the country through the evening and overnight and can be wintry at times too. The winds will be very strong and gusty with overnight lows of 1 to 3C.
"A very wet and blustery morning [on Friday] with outbreaks of rain and showers across the country where some of the showers could be wintry too. Sleet showers or snow flurries are possible on higher ground.
"A change to strong westerly winds with further showers feeding in from the west later in the day, some wintry too, with snow possible on higher ground in the west and north.
"It will remain very unsettled for the weekend with strong and blustery westerly winds feeding in plenty of showers across the country on Saturday and Sunday. The showers will be heavy at times too particularly on Sunday along Atlantic coastal counties."
