Status yellow rainfall warning issued for county
Weather Update
A Status Yellow rainfall warning has been issued this morning for counties Cavan and Monaghan, Meath, Westmeath, Louth and for all of Connacht with a risk of localised flooding.
Met Éireann is warning: 'Heavy rainfall will lead to accumulations of 30 to 50mm, with higher accumulations in mountainous areas. This will bring a risk of some river and localised flooding.'
The warning will come into effect at 9pm this evening (Monday), January 18 until 9pm tomorrow (Tuesday), January 19.
The weather forecast for today meanwhile is giving for bright spells in many areas this morning, with some rain on the north coast for a time.
Conditions will become cloudy and misty in all parts as the day goes on with scattered outbreaks of light rain and drizzle arriving from the south through the afternoon. A cool day with highs of just 5 to 7 degrees, in a light southerly breeze.
Rain in all areas tonight, heaviest and most persistent over Donegal and the southern half of Ulster, where some local flooding is possible. Cool with lows of three to five degrees, in light variable winds.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) will be a wet, breezy, misty day with heavy falls of rain bringing a risk of local flooding. Cool again through much of Ulster with highs of only three or four degrees as a northerly breeze develops, milder in the south with highs of 9 or 10 degrees. Some of the rain may fall as sleet over high ground later in the day.
Weather will turn colder from Wednesday with rain turning to sleet in the southeast on Wednesday evening. Sunny spells and showers of rain, hail and sleet for the remainder of the week and next weekend, with temperatures a few degrees below normal and a widespread frost each night.
Outbreaks of rain will continue in many areas overnight on Tuesday. However a clearance from the northwest will mean much of Ulster and Connacht will be dry by morning, with patches of mist and fog developing. Frost will set in quickly after dark in the northwest, with lows of between -2 and +1 degrees in Ulster and north Connacht. Less cold elsewhere with lows of 3 to 7 degrees in a light northerly breeze.
On Wednesday, rain will become persistent again in the east and south, heavy at times. Clearer in the northwest with showers. Northerly winds will mean a cold day overall, and it will become cold enough for the rain to increasingly turn to sleet through the afternoon and evening in the midlands, south and east with snow on high ground. A cold day with afternoon highs of just 3 to 5 degrees in light northerly winds.
The rain, sleet and snow will clear away eastwards on Wednesday night, with showers in the west and north. Frost will develop in lows of -1 to +2 degrees.
Thursday is set to be a cold day, with bright spells in the south, but widespread showers over the northern half of the country. Some of the showers will have a wintry mix of hail and sleet at times. Feeling cold in a brisk northwest breeze, with highs of 4 to 6 degrees.
Mostly dry Thursday night, with showers retreating to western and northern coastal areas. A sharp frost in places with lows of zero to -3 degrees.
Friday will bring sunny spells and scattered showers but lighter winds will mean the showers remain largely in the northwest without getting too far inland. Again some of the showers will be wintry, especially over high ground. Highs of just 3 to 5 degrees in light westerly winds.
Another sharp frost on Friday night with lows of between -2 and +1 degrees.
Current indications suggest next weekend will be mainly dry with a mix of sunshine and showers. Remaining cooler than average with highs of 3 to 5 degrees on Saturday and 4 to 7 degrees on Sunday, with a widespread frost on both nights.