Met Eireann has issued an urgent weather warning for one county, with winds of up to 100km/hr forecast.
The Status Yellow wind alert is in place for Mayo until 2pm on Thursday and reads: “Strong southwest winds in the late morning and for a time this afternoon with gusts of up to 100km/hr.”
It comes as the country is braced for a washout weekend as a low pressure system sweeps in from the Atlantic.
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Giving an overview of what to expect, the national forecaster said the weather will be “unsettled and often windy with low pressure near Ireland”.
Rain has been forecast for most days, turning widespread with heavy showers at times.
Giving its forecast for today, it said: “Mostly cloudy and windy today. Rain and drizzle will spread eastwards this morning and early afternoon and will clear through the late afternoon and evening with a few showers following. Fresh to strong, gusty southwest winds will be strongest in western parts of Connacht and Ulster with gales near the coast. Highest temperatures of 9C to 12C.
“Tonight will bring clear spells and well scattered showers. The showers will die out overnight. It will continue windy over Ulster with fresh or strong southwest winds persisting. Winds will be lighter further south. Lowest temperatures of 2C to 5C.”
Looking ahead to tomorrow, the national forecaster continued: “Friday will start off mainly dry with some bright spells and a few showers in the west and south. During the afternoon, persistent rain will develop in the west and will spread eastwards through the evening and early night. Light to moderate southerly winds will freshen in the afternoon, becoming strong along Atlantic coasts. Highest temperatures of 7C to 10C.
“A wet night with widespread outbreaks of rain. Rain will clear before dawn with showers following into Atlantic counties later. Blustery with fresh southerly winds, and turning rather cold with lowest temperatures of 3C to 6C.”
Its forecast for the weekend reads: “Windy with a mix of sunny spells and scattered heavy showers of rain or hail on Saturday. Best of dry spells during the morning away from Atlantic counties. Fresh to strong southerly winds, very strong at times along Atlantic coasts with very high seas developing also. Highest temperatures of 6C to 9C, but feeling colder.
“Remaining windy overnight with fresh or strong southwest winds, strongest up along Atlantic coasts with high seas too. Widespread showers, some of hail, with brief clear periods. Lowest temperatures of 4C to 7C.
“Breezy or blustery on Sunday with fresh southwest winds, strong winds in most coastal areas with seas remaining high along the Atlantic seaboard. Further heavy showers with some bright spells. Hail likely. Highest temperatures of 5C to 8C with an added wind chill.
“Scattered showers will continue to feed in overnight in a moderate to fresh southwesterly airflow. Temperatures dipping to between 1C and 4C.”
Current indications are that the wet and windy weather will continue into next week.
Met Eireann said: “Another day of widespread showers, some of rain or hail on Monday. Mostly cloudy with occasional bright spells. Not as windy as previous days with mostly moderate to fresh westerly winds. Highest temperatures of 6C to 9C.
“A spell of rain and breezy weather will spread from the west overnight Monday and during Tuesday. Remaining unsettled and likely windy through midweek.”
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