Storm Barra is brewing!

Weather Update

Storm Barra is set to hit Ireland tomorrow with strong winds and spells of heavy rain forecast, across Ireland.

Met Eireann has issued a 'status yellow' wind warning for Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim, Roscommon, Donegal, Mayo, Sligo, Tipperary and Waterford; while other parts of the country will come under a status red warning.

Through Tuesday and, for a time on Wednesday, an Atlantic depression named Storm Barra will bring very strong winds and spells of heavy rain across Ireland. Winds will be strongest in western coastal counties with severe or damaging gusts possible. Heavy rain will bring localised flooding. There will also be high waves at sea and a significant possibility of coastal flooding on south and west coasts.

The warning will take effect at 6am tomorrow (Tuesday), December 7 and remain in place until 6am the following morning, Wednesday, December 8.

The national weather forecaster says today will be cold and blustery with sunny spells and scattered showers. Showers will be frequent in the west and north with hail, isolated thunderstorms and some wintry falls on hills. Maximum afternoon temperatures generally ranging 4 to 7 degrees in fresh to strong and gusty westerly winds.

Showers will die out early on Monday night and it will become dry for a time with a touch of frost in places. However, later in the night southeast winds will increase strong to gale force and gusty and outbreaks of heavy rain will develop in the southwest, sweeping across the country early Tuesday morning. Lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees early in the night.

Becoming extremely windy on Tuesday as Storm Barra approaches from the Atlantic. A band of heavy and squally rain will sweep northeastwards across the country during the morning followed by widespread squally showers. Falls of sleet and hill snow are likely in places, especially across the northwest during the morning. Severe and damaging wind gusts are expected, especially in coastal parts of Munster and Connacht with some disruption possible. Gale to storm force southeast winds will veer west and later northwest in direction with a possibility of coastal flooding. Maximum temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees.

Very windy or stormy on Tuesday night as the centre of Storm Barra tracks over Ireland. There will be frequent squally showers, some wintry with hail and isolated thunderstorms. Further damaging and possibly disruptive wind gusts are expected, especially in Atlantic coastal counties with gale to storm force west to northwest winds. A cold night with lowest temperatures of 1 to 4 degrees.

Storm Barra will gradually weaken by mid-week but staying unsettled.

A cold and windy day on Wednesday with some bright spells but also widespread showers, some wintry in nature. Highest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees in strong to gale force northwest winds. Winds abating somewhat on Wednesday night with clear spells and scattered showers. Lowest temperatures generally ranging 1 to 5 degrees.

Rain will affect parts of the southwest at times on Thursday but it will be mostly dry elsewhere with bright spells and just a few passing showers. Highest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees in light or moderate west winds. Outbreaks of rain pushing eastwards early on Thursday night, clearing during the night to well-scattered showers. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 5 degrees in moderate to fresh northwest winds.

Early indications are Friday will be a cold and bright day with sunny spells and passing showers of rain or hail. However, it will cloud over in the southwest later with rain moving in soon after dark. Maximum temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees.

It is expected to be a fairly unsettled weekend with spells of rain moving in from the Atlantic at times.