Met Éireann issues pre-Christmas storm warning with brutal conditions to hit Ireland

Met Éireann has issued a weather warning relating to stormy conditions likely to hit Ireland at the weekend.

The Atlantic system will bring strong winds before Christmas with the west of the country expected to bear the brunt of the onslaught. Elsewhere, Met Éireann is forecasting snow in some parts of the country but Christmas.

Met Éireann issued the Status Yellow wind warning on Thursday. It covers Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal on Saturday and Sunday when the storm will hit.

There will be "sustained strong and gusty westerly winds veering northwesterly coupled with large coastal waves," the Met Éireann warning says.

They list potential impacts as "wave overtopping and/or spray, difficult travelling conditions especially near the coast and some fallen trees."

The warning is valid from 3am on Saturday until 6pm on Sunday.

In Met Éireann's further weather forecast, they are also predicting wintry showers with even snow in some parts around the same time as the storm.

On Saturday morning, rain in the south and east will clear quickly and will be followed by sunny spells and blustery showers for the rest of the day. It will be windy with fresh to strong, gusty westerly winds which will reach gale force along western and northern coasts. Afternoon temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees.

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They predict: "Saturday will be very windy with showers becoming widespread overnight. Some of showers could be heavy and wintry with a mix of rain, hail, sleet and possibly some snow, especially in parts of Ulster and on higher ground. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees with fresh to strong and gusty westerly winds veering northwesterly overnight.

"Sunday morning will continue very windy with blustery showers, some of them heavy and wintry with a mix of rain, hail, sleet and possibly some snow. Through the afternoon, showers will become confined to the west and north in the afternoon and will be mainly of rain or sleet. Fresh to strong and gusty northwesterly winds, will reach gale force western and northern coasts. Winds will begin to ease towards evening. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees."

They add: "On Sunday night, showers will gradually become isolated. There will be some clear spells for a time. Cloud will increase from the west overnight with rain and drizzle developing in the west by morning. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees with northwest winds easing and veering westerly.

"Monday will be mostly cloudy with outbreaks of light rain or drizzle spread eastwards through the morning and continuing for the rest of the day. Highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees with light to moderate southerly breezes, veering westerly later on."

In a first glimpse at Christmas, Met Éireann has said Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and St Stephen's Day "will all be mild and mostly cloudy with a fair amount of dry weather and with some light rain or drizzle at times, most likely in western and northern counties. The best of the drier periods will be in the east and southeast. Day time temperatures will reach about 11 or 12 degrees and the nights will be frost-free."