Weather warning: More rain on the way but less likely to be a white Christmas

Met Éireann has issued a status yellow weather warning for west Galway with predictions of heavy downpours and spot flooding, amid high spring tides.

The yellow warning, the first of Met Éireann’s three, colour codes for the severity of weather events, is valid from 7am to 9pm on Sunday.

Met Éireann is also issuing marine warnings for winds around the coasts this weekend. The national forecaster said a status yellow – gale warning from Erris Head to Malin Head for southwest winds will reach gale force 8 at times, up to 8pm on Saturday.

From midnight Saturday to midnight Sunday the winds will reach gale force 6 on all Irish coasts.

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Met Éireann forecaster Joanna Donnelly said day time temperatures are currently “one or two” degrees above normal for this time of year, with lowest temperatures of about 3 degrees. She said there was no sign of a very cold snap in the near future: “I am not even seeing any zero degrees out there” she said.

Ms Donnelly said there were no indications of a white Christmas. “The coldest temperatures are not falling until Christmas eve and that is only Ulster. There is no signal for colder weather at all”, she said.

In its detailed forecast Met Éireann said Saturday afternoon would continue mild and breezy with patchy drizzle in the south and the west. There is expected to be some sunshine across the midlands and the east, where it will stay dry.

But it is expected to be dull or cloudy elsewhere with patchy light rain or drizzle at times some areas staying fully dry. Highest temperatures from 11 to 13 degrees.

Saturday night will see dry conditions across most areas with a mix of cloud and clear spells.

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Sunday will bring blustery rain to Connacht, west Ulster and west Munster, heavy at times, especially across west Connacht with possible flooding. High spring tides will occur along the west coast.

Monday is expected to be mostly cloudy for a time with some scattered outbreaks of mostly light rain and drizzle. The rain will most likely become confined to parts of Munster and south Leinster later. Highest temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees early on in moderate to fresh southwest winds, veering westerly and decreasing mostly light to moderate

Lowest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees with mostly light or moderate north to northeast winds, which may increase strong and gusty near the south coast.

There will be further spells of heavy rain in the south for a time on Tuesday, while Wednesday will be a breezy day and its likely to be mostly cloudy with some scattered outbreaks of rain.

It looks like it will continue generally mild and rather windy for the rest of the week with occasional rain in the west and north but a good deal of dry weather elsewhere. More widespread rain is suggested for next weekend.

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