Yellow rain warning issued for Cork ahead of Ireland game and Munster hurling final

Heavy rain, flooding risks and breezy conditions are forecast before thousands descend on Páirc Uí Chaoimh

The warning comes as more than 43,000 people are expected to descend on Leeside as Cork take on Limerick for the Munster Hurling Championship Final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

A yellow rain warning has been issued for Cork and Waterford, with Met Éireann warning of “blustery spells of heavy rain” on Friday ahead of a weekend that will culminate in the Munster Hurling Championship Final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The alert for Cork comes into effect at 6pm and remains in place until midnight. A separate warning for Waterford is valid from 9pm until 3am on Saturday.

The national forecaster said heavy rain could lead to localised flooding, difficult travel conditions and impaired visibility.

The warning comes as more than 43,000 people are expected to descend on Leeside twice over the weekend.

Firstly, the Irish women's side are up against the Netherlands on Friday night in the Páirc, before Cork take on Limerick for the Munster Hurling Championship Final at the same venue, with unsettled conditions forecast throughout the weekend.

Despite the wet weather, Met Éireann said temperatures will reach as high as 19C over the coming days, with a mix of sunshine, showers and longer spells of rain expected.

Friday began with a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers. Cloud and outbreaks of rain are expected to spread northeastwards through the afternoon and evening, with strong winds along southern and western coasts. Daytime highs will range from 12C to 16C.

Friday night will be cloudy and wet, with widespread outbreaks of rain, particularly across southern counties. Temperatures will fall to between 8C and 11C.

Saturday will see a cloudy and wet start before conditions improve, bringing sunny spells and showers. However, drier weather will give way to further rain in western areas during the evening. Highs of 13C to 18C are forecast.

More rain will arrive on Saturday night, mainly affecting Atlantic and southern counties. It will remain mostly dry in the Midlands and east, with some clear spells. Temperatures will not fall below 10C.

Ahead of the Munster final, Sunday will bring further outbreaks of rain, becoming widespread from the west through the morning, with some heavy falls.

Brighter conditions, with sunshine and showers, will develop across western and northwestern areas during the afternoon before gradually extending elsewhere. Some showers may become heavy later in the day in northwesterly winds. However, conditions are expected to remain cloudy and wet well into the evening across eastern and southwestern counties.

Temperatures on Sunday are expected to reach between 14C and 18C.

Looking ahead to next week, Monday will bring sunny spells and some heavy showers, with highs of 13C to 16C.

Tuesday will see another mix of sunshine and showers, some of them heavy, with a chance of thunder and hail. Temperatures of 13C to 16C are forecast.