Brutal weather forecast for Ireland with wind and rain before temperatures drop

The weather forecast for Ireland for the coming weekend from Met Eireann is brutal heavy rain, hail and strong wind in the forecast for Saturday and Sunday before temperature plummet to ring in the New Year.

A series of weather warnings are in place for Friday and Saturday with Met Eireann warning of rain and strong winds.

A Status Yellow Rain Warning for Donegal, Leitrim, North mayo and Sligo is in place until 9pm on Friday with Met Eireann warning that heavy rainfall could lead to localised flooding. 

A Status Yellow Wind Warning for Cork, Kerry, Waterford and Wexford comes into effect at 2am on Saturday morning and remains in place until noon on Saturday. It warns that Southerly winds will increase strong to gale force and gusty. These onshore winds coupled with high Spring tides will lead to some coastal flooding.

The weather forecast for Ireland for Saturday states that there will be a wet and windy start to the day with widespread rain, heavy or thundery at times with some localised flooding possible. The rain will clear from the west to sunny spells and showers from the western half of the country through the morning, extending to all areas in the afternoon. Some showers will be heavy with a chance of isolated thunderstorms and hail. Highest afternoon temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees, coolest in the northwest. Fresh to strong and gusty southerly winds, with onshore gales, will mean there is a chance of coastal flooding in the south and southwest.

Clear spells and squally showers are forecast for Saturday night, most frequent in the west and southwest. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees in fresh to strong and gusty southerly or cyclonic variable winds.

⚠️Yellow Wind & Rain Warning⚠️

Affected regions : Clare, Kerry, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo

Valid: 00:00 Thursday 28/12/2023 to 06:00 Friday 29/12/2023

Keep updated on the type of warnings and valid times in your area⬇️
ℹ️https://t.co/y935BNm4NJ pic.twitter.com/jExubBEmau

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) December 28, 2023

New Year's Eve will be breezy or windy with sunny spells and scattered showers and a chance of hail. Fresh to strong and gusty westerly or cyclonic variable winds will gradually decrease moderate to fresh and gusty through the day. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees generally.

Showers will continue overnight on New Year's Eve, mainly for Atlantic counties with longer spells of rain possible in the northwest. Some frost or ice will form with lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees in mostly moderate westerly winds.

New Year's Day will bring sunny spells and scattered showers at first, becoming more isolated through the morning and early afternoon. Cloud will build from the southwest with rain following, extending northeastwards over much of the country by night-time. Highest afternoon temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees in light to moderate southwesterly winds, backing southeasterly and increasing moderate to fresh with the rain.

Outbreaks of rain will clear northwards from most areas overnight, with clear spells and scattered showers following from the west. Lowest temperatures over the northern half of the country of -2 to 0 degrees, milder further south.