Unsettled Weekend Weather with Heavy Rainfall Expected in Parts of Ireland
Met Éireann has forecasted a wet and blustery day for today, Friday, July 14, with heavy rain expected in some parts of the country. Bands of rain, which may be heavy at times, will move across the country this morning, posing a risk of localized flooding. Although the rain will clear away from the south in the afternoon, isolated showers, potentially heavy and thundery, will persist. Easterly winds will be fresh and gusty, later changing to south-westerly as the rain clears. Temperatures are expected to range from 13° to 19°C. A Status Yellow rain warning is currently in effect for Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Munster, and Connacht until 7:00 p.m. today. This warning highlights the potential impacts of heavy rain, including local flooding, poor visibility, and difficult travel conditions. Additionally, a Status Yellow rain warning will be in place for Donegal from 12 noon to midnight today.
Tonight, bands of rain will continue to move over northern counties, followed by isolated showers in the south. Some clear and dry spells will develop in the south and east overnight as showers die out. Gusty south-westerly winds and fresh to strong easterlies in the north can be expected. Lowest temperatures tonight will range from 10° to 13°.
Saturday will be a blustery day with widespread showers, some of which may be heavy at times. Fresh to strong westerly winds will persist throughout the day, particularly near the coasts, with highest temperatures ranging from 15° to 19°C. Saturday night will be wet and windy, with widespread showers across the country, including heavy and possibly thundery showers in the south. Breezy conditions will prevail, with fresh to strong west to northwest winds and overnight lows of 9° to 12°.
Sunday will continue to be wet and rather windy, with showers feeding in across the country. Some showers may be heavy and thundery during the afternoon and evening. Moderate to fresh westerlies will persist, with highest temperatures of 15° to 19°C. Showers will gradually become isolated later in the evening, with clear and dry spells developing in the east. Westerly breezes will slowly weaken, and lowest temperatures will range from 8° to 10°.
Looking ahead to next week, Monday is expected to be a cloudy day with isolated showers. Showers will become more widespread as the day progresses, with limited sunny spells. Highest temperatures will range from 15° to 18°C, accompanied by light winds. Showers will slowly clear later in the evening, with clear and dry spells developing. Overnight, winds will fall light, and lowest temperatures will range from 8° to 12°.
On Tuesday, southern counties will experience wet and breezy conditions in the morning, while other areas will have a mix of cloud and isolated showers. Winds will be generally light across northern areas, with highs of 15° to 19°C.
Soil moisture deficits (SMDs) across most soils currently range from -5mm to 45mm, with the highest deficits in the east, limiting growth. However, soils in the far southwest, parts of the midlands, and west Ulster are saturated or waterlogged. With above-average rainfall expected in most areas over the coming week, SMDs may approach saturation or waterlogged levels in all areas except the southeast, where growth will continue to be restricted, with SMDs ranging between 20mm and 30mm.
Furthermore, weather conditions suitable for the spread of potato blight will develop today, Friday, and will persist throughout much of the weekend.
In summary, the weekend weather in Ireland will be unsettled, with heavy downpours expected in some areas. It is important to stay informed about the Status Yellow rain warnings and take necessary precautions to ensure safety during periods of heavy rain and potential flooding.