Weather warnings in place as experts warn of a 'good few hours' of strong winds and rain

The entire island of Ireland is under a Status Yellow Wind Warning today as strong south westerly winds and heavy rains are expected to sweep across the country.

The warnings are in place until 6pm today with potential impacts including difficult travelling conditions, debris or loose objects displaced and some fallen branches or trees.

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Donegal is also under a Status Yellow Rain warning for Donegal that will remain in place until 6am on Friday morning with 
Met Éireann Weather Warning with possible impacts including localised flooding, poor visibility and difficult travelling conditions.

Carlow Weatherman Alan O'Reilly took to social media to say it will be a "good few hours" before conditions will improve.

That is one rough morning! It will be a good few hours before it starts to improve too. pic.twitter.com/mlYYQprwBN

— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) March 12, 2026

Meanwhile, Met Éireann has warned that temperatures are set to plunge later today with heavy rains expected.

Today

Windy with rain, heavy at times with spot flooding possible, spreading from the west and north-west, accompanied by fresh to strong and gusty southwest. The rain will gradually clear southeastwards this afternoon and it will turn colder with showers following.

Some of the showers will turn wintry in the northwest this evening. Afternoon highs of 4 to 8 degrees in the north and west, 9 to 12 degrees further south and east.

Cold with clear spells and scattered blustery showers tonight, some heavy with isolated thunderstorms possible. Some of the showers will be a wintry mix of rain, hail, and sleet.

Temporary lying snow is possible, mainly across parts of the northwest and about higher ground elsewhere. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 3 degrees in fresh to strong and gusty southwesterly winds with gales along Atlantic coasts.

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Friday

Cold and breezy with bright or sunny spells and scattered showers tomorrow, Friday, merging to longer spells of rain of at times. Some of the showers could be wintry at first but they'll transition mostly to rain or hail through the morning. Isolated thunderstorms are also possible.

Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees, but feeling chillier in mostly moderate to fresh and gusty westerly winds becoming west to northwest and easing later.

Showers will gradually become less frequent early on Friday night, becoming largely confined to Atlantic coastal counties with clear spells developing for a time.

Cloud will increase from the Atlantic overnight with patchy rain and drizzle developing in western areas. Westerly winds will ease light to moderate and back southwesterly overnight. Lowest temperatures of -1 to +3 degrees.

Saturday

Saturday will start dry in the east with some sunshine, but cloud will continue to thicken from the west through the morning as patchy rain and drizzle spreads across the country during the afternoon. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees in light to moderate westerly winds.

Winds will back south to southwest on Saturday night heralding the advance of further outbreaks of rain and drizzle extending from the Atlantic. The rain and drizzle will become patchier towards morning with some clear breaks developing. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees.

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Sunday

Sunday will be a cool and breezy day with sunny spells and scattered blustery showers, some turning wintry later in the day with a chance of hail or sleet, mainly in the north. Afternoon highs of 5 to 10 degrees in fresh to strong westerly winds.

Showers will gradually ease, becoming largely confined to Ulster with skies clearing elsewhere. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees with moderate to fresh and gusty westerly winds backing southwest by morning.

Monday

Many places will be dry at first on Monday, but cloud will soon thicken with outbreaks of rain and drizzle spreading from the Atlantic. It'll become breezy too with fresh to strong south to southwest winds developing in the afternoon. Highest temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees.

Tuesday, St Patrick's Day

Still a degree of uncertainty at present but current indications suggest a mostly cloudy and damp start to the day with outbreaks of rain and drizzle slowly clearing southeastwards and brightening up from the west as the day goes on. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees with light to moderate west to southwest winds.