Met Éireann issues alert for Cork, Kerry and Limerick

Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow thunderstorm warning for Cork, Kerry and Limerick, with motorists advised to expect tricky conditions on the roads today.

The warning, in place from 9am until 6pm, notes the potential for lightning strikes, spot flooding, power outages and disruption to travel.

It comes after a turbulent weekend in the southwest. On Saturday, parts of Kerry and west Clare were hit by fierce thunderstorms, with heavy lightning knocking out electricity to hundreds of homes.

The outlook for the days ahead is more settled. Most areas can expect dry and warm weather right through to Friday, with temperatures running above the seasonal average.

Attention is already shifting to developments across the Atlantic. Hurricane Erin, currently a Category 5 system in the Caribbean, is moving northwards. While it is not expected to reach Irish shores as a hurricane, its remnants could push fresher, more unsettled conditions our way towards the end of next week.

There is still significant uncertainty around the storm’s track and how it may interact with the jet stream, but a return to Atlantic-driven weather looks increasingly likely. The UK Met Office has also indicated a potential return to unsettled weather by the end of the month.