Fears of a return to severe weather have been dispelled as forecasters predict "fairly benign" conditions for coming days. A depression likely to affect south-west parts of England and Wales tomorrow will probably miss Ireland, except for parts of the south-east. In Waterford and Wexford, winds may be strong tomorrow morning with some heavy rain.
Heavy rain may fall in Britain where the depression is due to pass, leading to some flooding. It could be "very sodden over there on Friday morning", said Mr Vincent O'Shea of Met Eireann yesterday, while emphasising he would be more familiar with what was likely to happen in Ireland.
Winds averaging 20 m.p.h. could be expected in Waterford and Wexford, with gusts of up to 35 miles. In Britain, gusts could be up to 60 or 70 m.p.h., with average wind speeds of 25 to 30 m.p.h. In Ireland generally, "nothing very inclement" is expected over coming days. Temperatures should be average for January, possibly milder. It will probably be breezy, with some showers in the west, though mainly dry elsewhere, Mr O'Shea added.
Even in the south-east, the swipe from the depression hitting south-west Britain would bring weather which was "not anything exceptional" in the context of that experienced over recent months, he said, nor was there any exceptional cold weather expected before the early part of next week.
