Ireland is set for a storm later this week and into the weekend, Met Éireann has said.
A weather system is crossing the Atlantic, which has the potential to develop into a storm. It would be named Storm Callum under Met Éireann’s naming system.
Heavy rain and gale-force winds are forecast for Thursday night into Friday morning.
Met Éireann meteorologist Harm Luijkz said the national forecaster would have a clearer idea of its strength and path on Wednesday morning.
“It looks likely to be a very windy event, very close to a storm at least. The strongest winds will be on the west coast,” said Mr Luijkz.
The trajectory of the potential storm is uncertain. But it is likely to hit Newfoundland on Tuesday or Wednesday and then cross the Atlantic, before potentially reaching Ireland on Thursday.
After the stormy conditions, Friday and Saturday will likely be marked by heavy rain across the country, said Mr Luijkz.
On Monday Met Éireann forecaster Matthew Martin said wind speeds could be very high if the storm does develop and makes landfall in Ireland.
However, he also said the stormy weather, if it arrives, will be short lived and will pass to the north of the country leaving unsettled weather in its wake.
Indian summer
Meanwhile, the forecast for the next few days is for a brief Indian summer with temperatures reaching a balmy 20 degrees by Wednesday.
Tuesday so far is a mild one with values of 15 to 18 degrees, except in north Connacht and west Ulster where heavy rain was forecast. Met Éireann had issued a yellow rainfall weather warning for Co Donegal, Mayo and Sligo, valid until 3pm on Tuesday. The forecaster said a slow-moving band of heavy rain was set to bring up to 40mm in parts.
Wednesday will have the best of the sunshine before Thursday brings a drop in temperature and winds get progressively stronger.
Spring tides
Galway City Council’s weather assessment team met on Monday to review the weather forecast as, it said, we are approaching a period of very high astronomical spring tides commencing on Monday, October 8th, until Thursday, October 11th.
The team met again on Tuesday to review the forecast for the tides this week. It assessed the information available from the OPW tide and storm surge forecasting site along with weather conditions available from the Met Éireann website.
It is anticipated that there may be overtopping in Salthill at high tide this evening and as a precaution Seapoint promenade will be closed (from the Grattan Road junction to D'Arcy roundabout and from D'Arcy roundabout to Threadneedle Road junction) from 5.00pm. Access to Silverstand beach will be closed at this time also.
The roads crew will be on standby to close the Dock Road, should it be deemed necessary.
