Orange rain and thunder weather warning issued for Leinster and parts of Ulster, Munster

A status orange weather warning for rain and thunder covering much of the country on Thursday night and Friday morning has been issued by Met Éireann.

The waring for heavy rainfall with embedded thunderstorms — which are likely to cause flooding — applies from 11pm on Thursday until 7am on Friday and covers all of Leinster, counties Cavan and Monaghan in Ulster and counties Tipperary and Waterford in Munster.

Separately, the UK Met Office has issued a Yellow Rain Warning for all six counties of Northern Ireland for the first 11 hours of Friday. The UK Met Office said heavy rain is likely to cause some disruption and flooding.

The colour-coded warnings begin with yellow warnings for “not unusual weather” with localised danger. Orange is a mid-range warning for infrequent and dangerous or disruptive. weather, while Red is for rare, extremely dangerous or destructive conditions.

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The national forecaster also said current indications are for a wet and windy bank holiday weekend.

After a blustery Thursday night with widespread rain, some flooding is expected in the east of the county.

Friday is expected to feature further wet and blustery conditions in the northeast as the heavy rain clears away. Drier brighter conditions will follow from the southwest, although showers will develop in the west through the morning, extending to all areas by afternoon and some will be heavy or thundery at times. Highest temperatures of 13 to 16 degrees in moderate to fresh southwest winds, fresher in the southwest and west.

Further rain over the southern half of the country will be heavy at times on Saturday morning, bringing a further risk of flooding. The rain will clear northwards in the early afternoon to scattered showers. Highest temperatures of 13 to 16 degrees in moderate southerly winds. Most places are expected to be dry on Saturday night, although there is a chance of heavy showers on coasts of the south and east, possibly bringing thunderstorms to coastal districts at times.

Lowest temperatures 9 to 11 degrees with moderate to fresh southeast winds. Sunny spells and scattered heavy showers are expected to become widespread on Sunday afternoon. Highest temperatures of 13 to 15 degrees in moderate to fresh south to southwest winds, strong at times in the afternoon and around showers. Current indications suggest the weather remains unsettled for bank holiday Monday and early next week with further spells of rain or showers. Temperatures are expected to fall back a few degrees to the more seasonal average.