Met Éireann is predicting a deterioration in weather conditions over the coming days. Heavy rain, gale force winds and high seas are due to hit the country tonight and there is a likelihood of snow in some northern areas over the weekend.
The agency has issued two weather wind warnings valid from 10pm tonight until 6am tomorrow. The brunt of tonight's windy conditions are expected to hit Donegal where southwest to west winds with speeds gusting between 90 to 120 km per hour are expected.
Very high waves will pose an additional threat to coastal areas in the county with a risk of coastal flooding.
A status orange weather warning has been issued for Donegal implying that all residents should be vigilant and take precautions.
Orange weather warnings are issued for weather conditions which have the capacity to have a significant impact. Damage could include closed bridges, interruptions to power supply and widespread debris such as slates dislodged from roofs.
Poor conditions will extend to all other areas later this evening and a status yellow wind warning has been issued for Munster, Connacht, Leinster, Cavan and Monaghan where southwest to west winds with gusts of up to 90 to 110 km are expected.
The forecaster is expecting very disturbed and often extremely windy weather with the risk of stormy conditions over the following days.
Despite the deterioration in conditions, it is not unusual for the time of year.
"There's nothing unusual in that for January," said Met Éireann meteorologist David Rogers.
“The weather is up and down. It’s Atlantic-dominated for as far ahead as we can see. The temperatures will be up and down in tandem with that too. Temperatures (on Friday) will be well above normal for the time of year. The following day they’ll drop down and into early next week the overall temperature regime will be slightly below normal for the time of year.”
“There will be some severity in the winds for the northwest of the country for a few hours tonight and then there will be generally windy conditions for the next few days but there’s no great threat - January is a month that often brings quite strong winds coming in from the Atlantic.”
Very windy conditions are expected on Friday night with gale force southwest winds veering westerly.
Accompanying wet conditions are expected to clear southwards later in the night and it is expected to turn much colder by Saturday morning with some wintry showers expected in northern counties.
Met Éireann has predicted wintry showers later on Saturday - especially in western and northern counties - and some snow could fall “even at lower levels,” the forecaster said. Temperatures will be relatively normal with afternoon temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees expected.
Sunday will be cold with some rain or sleet predicted in places in the morning. Dry periods will develop in many areas during the day and afternoon temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees are expected.
It will become milder on Sunday evening but very strong southerly winds will develop that evening as heavy rain returns eastwards.
Cold and windy showery conditions will persist into Monday and Tuesday with some hail, sleet and snow showers possible in western and northern counties.
