IRELAND IS set to be battered by winds of up to 100km/h and spells of heavy rain in the next few days.
It’s shaping up to be a wet Christmas on the Emerald Isle, with Met Eireann issuing a weather warning for counties Donegal and Mayo from 7am, with unsettled conditions set continue for the remainder of the week.
A Met Eireann spokesman said: “South to southwest winds will strengthen during Thursday reaching mean speeds of 50-65km/h with gusts of 90-100km/h.”
The weather warning is set to remain in place until 6pm with strong blustery conditions set for much of the country with heavy rain forecast in parts of Ireland as evening draws in.
“Very windy today, with outbreaks of rain, mainly in Connacht, west Ulster and west Munster, with some heavy bursts in the west and northwest.
“Good dry spells in east Munster and Leinster, with just patchy rain and drizzle, becoming more widespread this evening.
“Misty in places, with hill and coastal fog. Mild, with maximum temperatures of 10 to 13 Celsius, in fresh to strong and gusty south to southwest winds.”
Rain and drizzle is set to give way to showers.
Very windy today, with outbreaks of rain, mainly in Connacht, west Ulster and west Munster. Drier elsewhere with just patchy rain and drizzle, becoming more widespread this evening. Some mist and fog patches. Highs of 10 to 13 degrees, in fresh to strong and gusty S-SW winds. pic.twitter.com/De5TijsMwp
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) December 5, 2019
While some clear spells will develop later in the day, it is set to remain mostly cloudy.
Winds are set to move from the southwest to west early in the day, easing a little as the day progress with minimum temperatures of 7 to 10C forecast.
There is a brighter outlook for Friday though with sunny spells mixed in alongside scattered showers and maximum temperatures 9C to 12C as the evening draws.
The unsettled weather is set to carry on into the weekend with next week set to bring a mixture of mild and cold conditions.
Met Eireann has also of more strong winds on Sunday, with Atlantic coastal counties set to be affected with potentially stormy conditions.