Rough weather predicted next week

FOLLOWING the strong storms that lashed the country in the past few days, weather reports point to even further violent winds and sea conditions next week.

Conditions would remain unsettled, becoming cold on Monday night. However, by mid-week next week, forecasters said the weather would become “very rough” again, especially in sea areas where sailings were expected to be cancelled.

Meteorologist Vincent O’Shea explained: “The signs are that the weather is going to be very changeable and unsettled. Sunday is going to be a better day after the storms, but on Monday there will be rain with fairly strong winds but not stormy. The rain will be fairly widespread and there will be frost on Monday, the first in a while.”

The frost is not expected to be severe. Tuesday is likely to see the best weather of the week, mostly dry and pleasant with some winds which will stay slack.

After that, seafarers and road-users should be prepared for dramatic changes later in the week as winds pick up and conditions offshore worsen again.

“On Wednesday and Thursday, there will be very high winds again as well as spells of rain in all areas.”

During the past week, gales hit 79 knots at sea in the north-west as well as speeds of 50 knots further to the south around the Waterford coast.

“By Thursday and Friday, there will be widespread gales. Sea ferry crossings to France are expected to be difficult. There are also heights of waves expected to be four metres,” added Mr O’Shea.

Met Éireann said conditions would be “very rough” again.

Weather experts said the worst winds so far in 2007 swept across the country on Thursday. Before this, the most stormy conditions were felt by revellers on New Year’s Eve.