Ireland to see heavy rain over weekend as weather to remain unsettled for foreseeable future

A status yellow thunderstorm warning was issued by Met Éireann for several counties on Friday night.

The warning included counties Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois and Wicklow and was valid between 6pm Friday and 10pm Friday.

Heavy thunderstorms were expected locally with lightning, Met Éireann said.

Meanwhile, a yellow weather warning for heavy rain and blustery winds came to an end at 7pm but was continuing until midnight in Co Donegal.

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The warning for heavy rain was in place for 25 of the 26 counties from 2am to 7pm on Friday.

The unsettled weather is set to continue for the foreseeable future, which means up to next weekend at least.

There will be heavy rain and showers over the weekend with unsettled weather continuing into next week. Both Saturday and Sunday will be wet and windy everywhere. Temperatures will be about average for the time of year, at between 15 and 19 degrees.

Much the same applies up until Friday, and there is some uncertainty as to the weather after that.

The contrast between June, which was hot and dry everywhere, and July could hardly be more different. Most parts of the country have had a wetter and cooler July than normal.

At least Ireland has been spared the ferocious heatwave that has brought temperatures of 45 degrees to southern Europe.

Met Éireann forecaster Conall Ruth said it can happen that Europe gets fine weather when high pressure over the Continent can drive Atlantic rain belts further north, although this is not happening at present.

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