Yellow wind warning issued for two counties

Ellen O'Donoghue

A status yellow wind warning has been issued for two counties.

The warning comes into effect in Co Donegal and Co Mayo from 4pm on Thursday until 6am on Friday.

People have been told to expect strong gale-force and gusty southwesterly winds.

Potential impacts include difficult travelling conditions, debris, and loose objects displaced.

Nationwide, Thursday is expected to be a mostly cloudy day with outbreaks of rain and drizzle.

A band of more persistent rain is forecast to extend from the west on Thursday morning and early afternoon, followed by sunny spells and isolated showers.

Highest temperatures of 11 to 15 degrees can be expected, but Met Éireann have said it will turn a little cooler with the clearance of the rain.

It is to become increasingly blustery later as southwest winds increase from fresh to strong and gusty, with gales developing on western and northwestern coasts later.

On Thursday night, it is expected that it will be very windy in the west and northwest, with breezy or blustery conditions elsewhere. A mix of clear spells and scattered showers is forecast, some of them heavy with a chance of hail.

Lowest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees can be expected, with fresh to strong and gusty southwesterly winds, reaching near gale or gale force in northwestern and some western coastal parts.

Friday will also be a blustery day, Met Éireann have said, with widespread showers turning heavy at times, with a possibility of hail and isolated thunderstorms.

Some sunny spells are also expected, although the forecaster have said it will turn mostly cloudy in the west and northwest in the afternoon, with the showers merging to longer spells of rain there.

Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees can be expected, colder than previous days, with moderate to fresh, occasionally strong and gusty southwest winds, with gales on coasts.