Status Yellow rain warning for the west and northwest

Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow rain warning for six counties, cautioning of heavy downpours and possible thunderstorms from Wednesday evening into Thursday.

The alert covers Clare, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo, with the warning coming into effect at 6pm today, and lasting until 6pm on Thursda.

Forecasters said significant rainfall accumulations are expected from both heavy showers and longer spells of rain, with isolated thunderstorms also possible.

The national forecaster has warned of potential impacts including localised flooding, poor visibility and hazardous travelling conditions.

A period of unsettled weather is expected to continue across Ireland, with frequent rainfall and fresh to strong winds lasting into at least the second week of September.

he remnants of Tropical Storm Fernand, currently weakening over the mid-Atlantic, are being closely monitored as they could contribute to a spell of unsettled weather across Ireland on Saturday.

The system is expected to lose its tropical characteristics over the next 48 hours, breaking down into a trough. However, some weather models suggest its remnants could interact with a shortwave in the Atlantic, forming a depression that may deepen as it nears Ireland’s west coast.

Latest projections position the centre of the low over Connacht on Saturday afternoon, with the strongest winds forecast across Munster and Leinster before shifting towards the northern half of the country later in the day. While confidence in such forecasts diminishes beyond three days, the consistent alignment across model output marks this as one to watch.