LAST UPDATE | 25 Jan 2019

MET ÉIREANN HAS issued a Status Yellow wind warning for 13 counties.

The warning was issued today will affect Dublin, Louth, Wexford, Wicklow, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Waterford.

It will be in place from 8pm tomorrow until 9am on Sunday.

A period of strong and blustery northwest winds will develop later tomorrow, starting along the Atlantic coast and extending to other coastal counties overnight. High seas are also expected.

Northwest winds, with mean speeds of 55 to 65 km/h and gusts of between 90 and 110 km/h, are expected. The strongest winds will be in exposed coastal locations, where winds may temporarily exceed these values.

In terms of the general forecast, the cold weather many parts of Ireland have been experiencing in recent days are set to continue into next week – with lowest temperatures of minus four degrees Celsius expected.

Met Éireann has said today will be mostly cloudy with patchy light rain and drizzle. Some sunshine will break through as well. Highest temperatures will range from nine to 12 degrees in moderate westerly winds.

Tonight will be largely dry, with lowest temperatures of six to nine degrees. It will become breezy overnight, with fresh southwest winds inland and strong winds along Atlantic coasts.

Weekend forecast 

Tomorrow will be a windy day. Rain will develop during the morning and will turn heavy for a while. The rain is expected to clear in the early afternoon and will be followed by sunshine and showers.

Some showers will be heavy with a risk of hail and thunder. It will turn colder later in the day with temperatures of five to seven degrees by the evening. Southwest winds will be fresh to strong and gusty.

Tomorrow night will be windy with gales or strong gales along Atlantic coasts and some further showers in strong and gusty northwest winds. Temperatures will dip to lows of four to six degrees.

Sunday is expected to start windy with ongoing strong and gusty northwest winds. Most places will be dry with sunny spells. However, showers will affect Atlantic coastal areas and some will be of hail.

There will be afternoon temperatures of five to eight degrees with an added wind chill. Sunday night will be largely dry with moderate to fresh and gusty northwest winds. Overnight low temperatures of zero to three degrees are expected, with frost away from Atlantic coasts.

‘Unsettled and cold’

The outlook for next week is “unsettled and cold”, according to Met Éireann.

Monday will see scattered outbreaks of rain with some sleet on higher ground. Afternoon temperatures will range from five to eight degrees in moderate westerly breezes. Skies will clear on Monday night and a sharp frost will set in.

The east and south will stay largely dry but showers will affect the west, north and central areas and they will turn increasingly wintry overnight. Lowest temperatures will range from plus one and minus two degrees in moderate westerly winds.

Tuesday will be the coldest day of the week with maximum afternoon temperatures of two to five degrees. There will be showers of hail and sleet, mainly affecting the west and north, where some snow is likely as well. West to northwest winds will be moderate.

Tuesday night is expected to be very cold with temperatures as low as minus three or minus four degrees and a widespread sharp to severe frost with a risk of ice on roads.

It will stay cold for the rest of the week as well with occasional rain or sleet and frost most nights.