Met Éireann issues weather warnings with Ireland to be battered for days before Christmas

Met Éireann has issued a series of weather warnings for strong winds as we begin the countdown to Christmas.

The entire country will be placed under a Status Yellow wind warning during parts of Thursday with different time periods impacting different counties.

The first Status Yellow -wind warning covers Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford and will be in place from midnight to 8pm on Thursday.

The second warning, also a Status Yellow wind warning, is for Clare, Kerry, Donegal and Connacht and will be in place until 8pm on Thursday.

Met Éireann says "Northwest winds will be very strong at times," with "high waves also expected" in coastal counties.

Met Éireann lists other potential impacts as "debris, loose objects displaced, difficult driving and cycling conditions."

There is also a Status Yellow - Gale warning off the coast from Roches Point to Bloody Foreland to Wicklow Head and on the Irish Sea North of Anglesey.

Met Éireann says "West to northwest winds will reach gale force 8 or higher." This coastal wind warning is in place from 10pm on Wednesday until 11pm on Thursday.

Finally, Met Éireann issued a wind warning for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry via the Met Office in the UK. It predicts that "strong winds are likely to affect a wide area through Thursday, potentially causing some travel disruption."

Meanwhile, Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather has predicted "very windy conditions for the next five to six days with strong gusts at times."

Alan also posted an update for Christmas travellers: "For those travelling home for Christmas over the next few days there is no significant issues currently forecast. Strong winds could cause some bumpy ferry trips but flights should be OK and Iceland volcano shouldn’t cause any issues either."

For those travelling home for Christmas over the next few days there is no significant issues currently forecast. Strong winds could cause some bumpy ferry trips but flights should be OK and Iceland volcano shouldn’t cause any issues either. pic.twitter.com/NvF3RrPcEn

— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) December 19, 2023

He went on to say there will be "plenty of wind over the coming days but rainfall mainly showers and worst in West and North. Cooler today but turning milder for the following few days before possibly turning a little cooler for Christmas Day and St. Stephen’s Day."

Met Éireann says "Wednesday will a mostly cloudy, breezy and damp day, with outbreaks of rain and drizzle in all areas at times. Rain will be heaviest and most persistent in the west and north. Mild with highest temperatures of 9 to 11 degrees and moderate to fresh, gusty westerly winds."

Beyond the stormy conditions on Thursday, they say it will be "breezy again on Friday, with sunny spells and scattered showers, some of them possibly heavy. Afternoon highs ranging 8 to 11 degrees with moderate to fresh west to northwest winds."

"A mostly cloudy day, with wet and windy conditions developing through the day. Again, rather mild with highest temperatures of 11 to 13 degrees, and moderate to fresh southwesterly breezes."

Forecasters at Weather Alerts Ireland have given their prediction for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and St Stephen's Day.

They say this week will be "lively" with some "very windy days and heavy showers and possibly persistent in parts of the West."

They says "cold air is expected to push down on Christmas Eve" but that it will be "mainly dry but fairly windy."

For Christmas Day, they say "a band of rain is forecast to push over Ireland. For parts of Ulster (looking like mainly higher ground) some wintry precipitation is possible."