Cork among 18 counties under thunderstorm warning

Elsewhere, Dublin, Wexford and Wicklow will also be impacted by a status yellow rain warning

The warning will be in place from 3pm until 8pm tonight.

A status yellow thunderstorm warning has been issued for 18 counties this evening.

Most of the country will be affected by the weather warning, with counties Cork, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim and Roscommon, all affected.
The warning will come into effect at 3pm on Thursday and will remain in place until 8pm tonight.

Met Éireann is warning of heavy downpours during this period with thunderstorms and hail also forecast.

People in these counties should be aware of the potential for spot flooding and road users should anticipate hazardous conditions and poor visibility.

A status yellow rain warning has also been issued for three counties, with heavy rain and thundery conditions on the cards.

Dublin, Wexford and Wicklow will be impacted by the weather warning, which comes into effect at 6pm on Thursday.

The warning will remain in place until midnight. Road users are warned to take care when travelling, with risks of spot flooding and poor visibility as a result of heavy rainfall.

The forecaster also warns of travel delays as a result of the conditions.

Elsewhere, today will bring a mixture of sunny spells and showers which will become heavy in some areas during the afternoon.

These showers will mostly die out tonight with some outbreaks in parts of Leinster and Munster.

Friday will begin with mist, fog and drizzly conditions but sunny spells will gradually break through.

It will be mostly dry with a few showers developing in the evening.

This weekend will be dry for the most part with sunny spells and temperatures in the high teens.