Summer storms off

Forecasters warn Ireland to be hit with thunder, heavy rain & floods

SAY farewell to summer as most of Ireland will be hit by thunderstorms, heavy showers and flooding today.

The bleak conditions are to affect 20 counties during a 39-hour rainfall warning.

Met Eireann issued a Status Yellow alert yesterday which will remain in place until 3am tomorrow.

The warning is in place for Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Leitrim, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary and Waterford. A Met Eireann spokesman said: “Heavy showers and isolated thunderstorms will occur in places during the period.

“While some areas will miss the showers, where they do occur there will be some torrential downpours, localised flooding and hazardous driving conditions. A more prolonged and widespread period of heavy rain will occur later on today.” It will be a grim day for large areas of the country despite highs of 21C this afternoon.

Some areas may get short sunny spells early in the morning but there will be long periods of heavy rain in the Midlands and the East as the evening wears on. The spokesman said: “Generally cloudy and misty at first tomorrow but brightening up through the morning.

“Scattered showers will develop early on, with some heavy and possibly thundery downpours by the afternoon.

“The showers will merge to a prolonged spell of heavy rain over central, north and eastern parts towards evening.

“We can expect the highest temperatures to reach between 17C to 21C in light variable breezes.”