Met Éireann warning extended as forecasters predict St Patrick's Day u-turn

Met Éireann has extended a weather warning for Cork and Kerry amid miserable conditions that look like persisting for much of the week.

The Status Yellow rain warning for both counties now runs until 9am on Wednesday morning and warns of "spells of heavy rain at times during Monday, Tuesday and continuing into Wednesday morning."

"The rain will be accompanied by strong onshore winds and high tides," Met Éireann has said. Potential impacts include wave overtopping and localised flooding.

Meanwhile, the national forecaster is predicting conditions to remain "unsettled for the rest of the week with rain or showers" but there may be another big change on the cards for St Patrick's Day.

They say Tuesday will be a "mostly cloudy and damp day overall, starting off mainly dry with just scattered outbreaks of rain or drizzle and mist.

"The rain will turn more persistent and heavy at times in the southwest and west as we move through the day. It will be breezy with a moderate to fresh southwesterly wind, strong in the west and southwest. Highest temperatures of 10 to 14 degrees. Coastal flooding is possible due to unusually high tides.

"A band of more persistent rain will move into the west and northwest early tonight and will move southeastwards overnight, becoming lighter and patchier. It will become dry with some clear spells in the northwest towards morning. Breezy with a moderate to fresh and gusty southwesterly wind. Mild for much of the night with lowest temperatures of generally 7 to 11 degrees, becoming cooler towards morning in the northwest where temperatures will fall to 4 degrees locally."

For Wednesday, they say "the rain will gradually clear the northern half of the country through the morning and most areas will become dry for a time in the afternoon. It will be more of a dull and damp day further south where rain and drizzle will continue. Highest afternoon temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees with a mostly light to moderate southwest to west wind, increasing fresh at times along northern and southern coasts. Again, coastal flooding is possible due to unusually high tides.

"Rain will spread northwards over the country on Wednesday night. Lowest temperatures ranging between 4 degrees in the north to 10 degrees in the south, with light to moderate easterly or southerly winds.

"Mostly cloudy and unsettled with rain or showers continuing to feed in from the southwest [on Thursday]. A few brighter intervals may develop, the best of which will be later in the afternoon. Highest temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees with a light to moderate southerly wind.

"Staying mostly cloudy with further rain or showers through the night. Lowest temperatures of 7 to 13 degrees with a light to moderate southerly wind veering northerly.

"Mostly cloudy with rain or showers [on Friday] morning but possibly becoming drier and brighter with some sunny periods later in the day. Highest temperatures of 10 to 14 degrees with light to moderate west to northwest winds.

"Starting off mostly dry and clear Friday night before cloud builds from the southwest followed closely by rain that will spread northeastwards through the night. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 5 degrees with light variable winds."

Saturday will be a "wet day with rain or showers, becoming drier and clearer towards the evening. Highest temperatures of 7 to 13 degrees with a light southerly wind."

In a brighter outlook for St Patrick's Day, Met Éireann said: "Current indications suggest conditions it may turn drier and clearer for St. Patrick's Day with some sunny spells and scattered showers."