Weather warnings for Cork and Kerry kick in ahead of wet Halloween weekend

Meanwhile, Met ÉIreann said Ireland could see impacts from Hurricane Melissa at the start of next week

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

Three status yellow weather warnings have come into effect for four counties ahead of potential impacts from Hurricane Melissa next week.

A rain warning for Cork and Kerry came into effect at 11am and will remain in place until 8pm.

Those counties can expect to see heavy rain impacts that include localised flooding, difficult travel conditions, and poor visibility.

Meanwhile, a wind warning for Cork and Kerry, as well as Waterford and Wexford, has also come into effect until 11pm tonight. Met Éireann is warning of "very strong and gusty southerly winds with gales on coasts".

It warned of the potential for difficult travelling conditions, fallen trees, and large waves.

A third weather alert for rain, for Galway and Mayo, came into effect at midday. Spells of heavy rain, "especially in west Galway and south Mayo", can be expected in the western counties until the warning ends at 8pm.

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."

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