Weather forecast: Warning of heavy rain, thundery downpours ahead of weekend

Heavy rain is on the way with Met Éireann issuing a status yellow warning for most of the country starting on Friday afternoon.

According to the national forecaster, heavy rain with thundery downpours can be expected in Leinster, Munster and Galway, with potential spot flooding and difficult travelling conditions.

The status yellow weather warning is in place in affected areas from 4pm on Friday afternoon until midnight.

According to Met Éireann, “a status yellow weather alert is given to warn those at risk from certain weather because of their location and/or their activity. It advises these people to take preventative action. Expected weather conditions in a status yellow alert do not pose an immediate risk to the general population.”

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The wet weather is expected to start on Thursday evening with scattered outbreaks of rain across parts of the country, with some heavy downpours possible. Mild and humid conditions are anticipated, with temperatures set to remain between 13 and 16 degrees.

Friday will be wet, cloudy and humid, according to Met Éireann, with rain expected to be particularly persistent across the south and southwest of the country in the afternoon. Temperatures will range from 17 to 21 degrees.

Friday night could see a clearance from the southwest as the weekend offers some patches of dry weather that will be interspersed with showers. “Sunshine and scattered showers” are forecast, with heavy rainfall anticipated in the west of the country.

Warm, dry weather is expected in the east with temperatures reaching as high as 23 degrees.