Status orange wind warning in place for three counties as yellow wind alerts widespread across country

Gusts over 110km/hr are forecast in Kerry and West Clare on Wednesday morning, according to Met Éireann

A rider and horse exercise in the tide on the east coast in Co Wicklow on Monday. Wicklow is one of several counties subject to a yellow weather warning on Tuesday. Photograph Nick Bradshaw
A rider and horse exercise in the tide on the east coast in Co Wicklow on Monday. Wicklow is one of several counties subject to a yellow weather warning on Tuesday. Photograph Nick Bradshaw

The weather across the country is expected to remain unsettled with “blustery” winds and “heavy downpours” throughout the week, Met Éireann has forecast.

Gusts over 110km/hr are forecast in Kerry, West Clare and Cork on Wednesday morning with these areas being under orange wind warnings from the early hours of the morning. The warnings will be in effect from 2am to 8am in Kerry; 2am to 5am in West Clare and 6am to 9am in Cork.

Met Éireann issued several warnings with Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Louth, Meath, Wexford, Wicklow, Cork, and Waterford all currently under a yellow wind warning from 5pm this evening until 9pm.

Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Galway, Mayo will be under a yellow wind alert from 1pm to 5pm on Wednesday.

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Leinster, Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary and Waterford will also be under yellow wind warnings from 8am until 8pm on Wednesday. Winds of 80 to 110km/hr are expected.

The UK Met Office has also issued a yellow wind warning for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry from 3pm this afternoon until midnight tonight.

They have also issued yellow wind warnings for all six counties from 11am on Wednesday until 8pm.

A status red marine storm warning will be in place from Valentia to Loop Head from 5am until 8am Wednesday morning. Met Éireann forecast west to northwest winds to reach violent storm force 11 in the area.

The meteorological service have also put status orange marine storm warnings in place from Carnsore Point to Mizen Head to Erris Head and from Erris Head to Rossan Point to Malin Head for Wednesday morning.

These warnings will be from 3am Wednesday until 2pm and 7am until 3pm respectively when west to northwest winds are expected to reach storm force 10.

Tuesday night is expected to be “blustery” with moderate to fresh southwesterly winds, very strong along Atlantic coasts and later becoming very windy in the south.

Rain will clear the northeast early to clear spells and scattered heavy showers with possible hail, Met Éireann said.

Isolated thunderstorms are also possible. Outbreaks of heavy rain will spread from the west overnight with lowest temperatures of 0 to 4 degrees.

The weather is forecast to be “very windy” on Wednesday with “very strong and gusty northwest winds and gales” in Atlantic coastal areas.

It will be mostly cloudy with spells of rain, heavy at times with local downpours.

Rain will become confined to the northeast later with brighter weather and scattered showers developing elsewhere. The highest temperatures will range 6 to 10 degrees.

Strong northwest winds will ease to a light or moderate westerly breeze on Wednesday night. Winds will remain fresh in Ulster where rain will continue, but elsewhere it will be clearer with occasional showers. A mix of sunny spells and showers will emerge on Thursday, with cloud cover increasing from the south later on, and temperatures will range from 9 to 12 degrees, Met Éireann said.

On Thursday night, a spell of rain is expected over the southern half of the country, while it will be mainly dry further north with clearest skies near the north coast.

Friday will see “a cloudy start, with rain lingering for a time in the east” and sunny spells will develop along with showers in a moderate northwesterly airflow. The highest temperatures will be 9 to 12 degrees, while Friday night will be mainly dry with winds becoming calm.

Jade Wilson

Jade Wilson

Jade Wilson is a reporter for The Irish Times

Ellen O’Donoghue

Ellen O’Donoghue

Ellen O'Donoghue is an Irish Times journalist