Weather warning issued over strong winds and rain

Met Éireann has issued a yellow weather warning for the west coast with strong wind and rain forecast.

The wind warning is for counties Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Clare and Kerry and is valid from 3pm on Friday until 12pm on Saturday.

Winds will gust at speeds of up to 90 to 100 km/h on Friday and Friday night in Atlantic coastal counties.

The wind marks a change in conditions from the cold, settled conditions this week to a more unsettled period.

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"There is going to be quite a change," said Met Éireann forecaster Liz Gavin. "Winds are going to pick up and it will bring spells of rain."

Heavy rain will be in the south and west on Friday night. Another band of rain will cross the country from west to east on Saturday morning.

It will be followed on Sunday by more heavy rain which will arrive in the south in the afternoon and then spread across the country.

Temperatures will be notably milder than of late at between 12 and 14 degees on average.

The long-term forecast is for low pressure to dominate the weather next week bringing more strong winds and rain.

The weather looks set to remain changeable and often unsettled throughout next week with areas of low pressure moving towards Ireland from the Atlantic bringing further spells of rain and strong winds.