Weather warning: downpours on the way for many parts of Ireland

Downpours are on the way  as a status yellow rainfall warning is in place for Munster and Leinster from Thursday night.

The warning is in operation from 7pm on Thursday until 7am on Friday. Met Éireann said accumulations of between 25 to 40 millimetres of rain will occur and spot flooding "is likely".

Thursday will be mainly dry with bright and sunny spells. However, towards the evening heavy rain will develop in the south and spread northwards over the southern half of the country by nightfall. Highest temperatures will be between 18 and 22 degrees with light easterly breezes, which will freshen in the south later.

Heavy rain will continue to move northwards on Thursday night, reaching the north coast after midnight. Clear spells and showers will follow into the south towards Friday morning. Lowest temperatures will be between 13 and 14 degrees.

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Heavy rain will continue in the north on Friday morning for a time but will clear northwards. Showers following from the south will become widespread and continue through the day and some will be heavy with a risk of thunder. Highest temperatures will be between 17 and 20 degrees.

There will be further showers on Friday night, though they won’t be as widespread or as heavy during the day. Lowest temperatures will be between 13 and 14 degrees.

There will be showers and long spells of rain on Saturday, especially over the northern half of the country. Drier intervals are expected in the south of the country.

However, rain will extend south eastwards to all areas by Saturday night with highest temperatures between 17 and 21 degrees.

Sunday will be a cooler, fresher day with showers or longer spells of rain, which will gradually clear south eastwards in the evening with sunny spells following. Highest temperatures will be between 14 and 18 degrees with light or moderate northwest breezes.

Monday will be bright with sunny spells and occasional showers with highest temperatures between 14 and 18 degrees. Tuesday and Wednesday will continue unsettled with a band of rain moving eastwards across the country, heavy at times. It will be blustery at times with temperatures in the mid to high teens.