Met Éireann issues multiple weather warnings as Hurricane Melissa edges closer

Met Éireann has issued rain and wind warnings for six counties as Ireland faces potential disruption from Hurricane Melissa

Both Cork and Kerry will be under a rain warning on Thursday from 11am to 8pm. Picture: Chani Anderson

A number of Status Yellow weather warnings have been issued by Met Éireann as Ireland braces for potential impacts from Hurricane Melissa.

Both Cork and Kerry will be under a rain warning on Thursday from 11am to 8pm.

The counties can expect heavy rainfall, which may cause localised flooding, difficult travel conditions, and poor visibility.

Galway and Mayo will face a similar warning, starting one hour later, from 12pm to 8pm.

Those four counties — along with Waterford and Wexford — are also under a Status Yellow wind warning from 11am to 11pm.

Met Éireann said there will be “very strong and gusty” southerly winds, with gales expected along some coasts.

They warned of the potential for fallen trees and large waves.

Meanwhile, the UK Met Office has issued a wind warning for all of Northern Ireland on Thursday.

The warning runs from 1pm to 11pm and includes strong winds and heavy rain.

Unsettled spell ahead

The Halloween weekend is expected to bring unsettled conditions as low pressure remains to the northwest of Ireland.

Friday will be breezy, with wet weather in the morning.

It will be mostly dry at the start of Halloween evening, though rain is expected to move in from the south later.

Overnight, spells of heavy rain will sweep across the country, with Met Éireann warning of a risk of hail and lightning as temperatures drop to 4C.

Saturday will be chilly, with temperatures reaching no higher than 12C amid sunny spells and scattered showers.

Donal Egan of Met Éireann told the Irish Examiner that Ireland is not expected to see any impact from the remnants of Hurricane Melissa before Monday. 

He explained: "Current model runs suggest the remnants of Melissa will track towards Iceland, at which stage it will have significantly weakened and transitioned to an extra-tropical cyclone.

"However, as it does so, it will likely drag up some warmer and moister air over Ireland, potentially bringing some wet weather on Monday."

WEATHER CENTRE

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