LAST UPDATE | 35 mins ago

A STATUS RED rain will be in place overnight in counties Cork and Galway as Storm Bert sweeps over Ireland.

Met Éireann has warned the public that this weekend will be much wetter and windier than normal.

This weekend, Storm Bert will move close to Ireland and displace the recent cold Arctic air mass.

Met Éireann has issued a Status Red warning for rain across Cork and Galway, which will be in place from midnight until 10am Saturday, with warnings of severe flooding, damage to homes and businesses, and dangerous travelling conditions.

The highest accumulations of rain is expected in west Cork and west Galway.

A Status Orange warning for rain will also be in place from midnight until 10am Saturday across Clare, Kerry, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, and Waterford.

Met Éireann warns of intense falls of rain over a short period of time in these counties and possible impacts include surface flooding, possible river flooding, and very difficult travelling conditions.

Gabriel Hynes, Senior Engineer with Waterford City and County Council, has urged the public to exercise caution and added that while the warning remains in place, the public should to heed all public safety advice and avoid unnecessary journeys.

He said anyone making car journeys should drive with caution, allow extra time, avoid driving through flowing or standing water and be conscious of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

Elsewhere, a Status Yellow wind and rain warning will be in place from 10pm tonight until 12 noon Saturday across Leinster, Connacht, Cavan and Monaghan.

In these regions, Storm Bert will bring very strong southeast to south winds, coupled with heavy rain.

Possible impacts include localised flooding, travel disruption and fallen trees.

Separately, a Status Yellow warning for wind, rain, snow and ice will be in place from 10pm tonight until 12 noon tomorrow in Co Donegal, where snow will turn to rain, coupled with strong southeast to south winds.

And the impacts of Storm Bert will be felt into Sunday too, with a Status Yellow wind warning in place from 5pm Saturday to 2am on Sunday night in Carlow, Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford, and Wicklow.

Those travelling this weekend are warned to do so with care. Poor conditions will continue on Sunday and Met Éireann warns lasting impacts could continue into next week.

Storm Bert will pick up later tonight as very wet and windy conditions are expected.

The heaviest rain will be in the southwest, causing flooding in some areas. Snow and sleet could form in the north and northwest.

There will be very strong and gusty south to southeast winds, with the strongest winds in areas near coasts.

Temperatures will drop overnight to between 0 and 5 degrees, but will get warmer as the night goes on.

Tomorrow morning will be very wet and windy. Such conditions will last until midday. 

Warmer temperatures are expected, however, between 12 and 15 degrees. Strong southerly winds will sweep across the country all day tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a Yellow alert has been put in place by the UK Met Office across Northern Ireland, with a rain and snow warning in place from midnight until 11am tomorrow, and a wind warning in place from 5am Saturday to 7pm Saturday. 

Orange wind warnings likely

Met Éireann meteorologist Andrew Doran-Sherlock said Storm Bert will bring milder but very wet and windy conditions for the weekend.

Doran-Sherlock said that heavy rain will likely lead to localised flooding in urban areas and some river catchments, particularly in the west and southwest, as this rain is falling on already saturated and waterlogged ground.  

He added that Met Éireann is closely monitoring the situation and will upgrade or issue warnings as its high resolution model is analysed.

This model provides information two-days ahead.

He remarked that there is a strong likelihood of status orange wind warnings in western and northwestern counties.

The impacts from Storm Bert will commence later today and continue through the weekend and potentially through early next week as well.

Meanwhile,  Dr Jennifer Keenahan, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at University College Dublin, warned that the storm’s timing is concerning because it will bring heavy rainfall onto already saturated ground.

She added that from a structural engineering perspective, Storm Bert presents several “critical concerns for our bridge infrastructure” and that the combination of heavy rainfall and strong winds creates multiple challenges.

“The saturated ground conditions significantly increase the risk of scour around bridge foundations, where fast-moving water can erode the supporting soil beneath bridge piers,” said Keenaghan.

“This is particularly worrisome when coupled with the intense rainfall predicted for this evening.

“The storm surge and wave action will create both lateral and vertical forces on bridge structures and these forces can be especially problematic as they can generate upward pressures on bridge decks.”

-With additional reporting from Diarmuid Pepper