Thunderstorm warning issued for 19 counties

A Status Yellow Thunderstorm warning has been issued for 19 counties.

Met Éireann says scattered thunderstorms will developing during Tuesday in Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow, Clare, Carlow, Roscommon, Westmeath, Monaghan, Wexford, Longford, Cavan, Limerick, Tipperary and Galway.

It is warning that spot flooding and lightning damage are possible.

The warning is in effect from 11.00am to 8.00pm.

Already, there has been thunderstorm activity off the West Clare coast and near The Aran Islands, County Galway. North of a line from Mayo to Louth, as well as the extreme south, will continue to experience largely dry, warm and sunny conditions during the day.

Motorists are advised to drive with extra caution on Tuesday, particularly during or after rainfall—especially in areas that have been dry since late April. After an extended dry spell, rain can make roads unusually slippery due to the accumulation of dirt and contaminants like fuel, oil, and rubber.

The warning follows intense thunderstorm activity over the Midlands and West of the country on Monday.

Hundreds of lightning strikes were recorded during the afternoon and early evening as a result of deep convection, in the form of towering cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds.

ESB PowerCheck reported hundreds of properties without power due to cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, including in Rathkeale and Cappamore (Limerick), Toomevara, Templemore, and Roscrea (Tipperary), and Gort (Galway).

Drier, sunnier and warmer weather will return across Ireland for Wednesday, Thursday, at the opening half of Friday before light rain pushes across the island from the west later on in the day.

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