IRELAND is set for stormy conditions next week and possible travel disruption next week, Met Eireann has warned.
The national picture is looking bleak, as the forecaster advised people to brace themselves for a bout of wet and severely windy weather on Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 December.
Travel could be disrupted by coastal flooding on Tuesday as the country is battered by heavy winds and following a temperature drop, possible snowfall.
Met Eireann said: "A spell of wet and very windy weather is expected to impact Ireland on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday the 8th December, with potential impacts including travel disruption and coastal flooding.
"There is also the potential for wintry precipitation on Tuesday night and Wednesday which may lead to further travel disruptions.
"This advisory will be updated on Saturday while warnings will likely be issued on Sunday."
The forecaster added: "Becoming very windy, potentially stormy, later on Monday night and during Tuesday with rain and hill sleet moving up over the country followed in turn by sunny spells and scattered showers, some possibly wintry.
"Western and northern areas likely to experience the strongest winds but all areas at risk of severe winds especially near to coasts.
"Still very windy and locally possibly stormy, round the coast on Tuesday night and for a time on Wednesday with cyclonic winds followed by blustery northerlies.
Here is Met Eireann’s full breakdown:
TODAY - SATURDAY 4TH DECEMBER
Cold and blustery today with sunny spells and showers. Showers will be most frequent in the west and north with isolated thunderstorms, hail and possibly some wintry falls. Highest temperatures reaching just 4 to 7 degrees, with an added wind chill factor, in fresh and gusty west to northwest winds.
TONIGHT
Showers will become largely confined to Atlantic coastal counties overnight, some with hail. Elsewhere, it will become mostly dry with long clear spells. A cold night with frost forming in some areas and lowest temperatures of -1 to 4 degrees with moderate northwest breezes.
TOMORROW - SUNDAY 5TH DECEMBER
Frost will clear during Sunday morning to leave a cold and bright day with sunshine and just a few isolated showers. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees in a light to moderate northwest breeze, backing light southwest. Cloud will increase from the Atlantic during the evening bringing some rain to western parts after dark in a freshening southerly breeze.
NATIONAL OUTLOOK
Overview: Staying cold overall and becoming very windy, potentially stormy in parts, for a time. Wintry falls possible at times too.
Rain, sleet and some hill snow will spread across the country on Sunday night followed by a clearance to showers in most areas by morning or soon after. Lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees with moderate to fresh southerly winds veering westerly later.
Monday will be a cold, bright and blustery day with sunny spells and scattered showers, some hail showers in parts and possibly falling as sleet on high ground in the north. The showers will be most frequent in the west and northwest. Highest afternoon temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees in moderate to fresh westerly winds, easing later.
Becoming very windy, potentially stormy, later on Monday night and during Tuesday with rain and hill sleet moving up over the country followed in turn by sunny spells and scattered showers, some possibly wintry. Western and northern areas likely to experience the strongest winds but all areas at risk of severe winds especially near to coasts.
Still very windy and locally possibly stormy, round the coast on Tuesday night and for a time on Wednesday with cyclonic winds followed by blustery northerlies. These bringing showery condition over the country, with the risk of some wintry falls in parts but clear or sunny spells too.
A dry, cold frosty night following on Wednesday night with light northerly winds and a few freezing fog patches too.
Thursday looks mainly dry and cold with sunny spells, but some rain expected to follow on Thursday night.
