BREAKING: Storm Betty to batter Ireland as Met Éireann issues multiple weather warnings

Storm Betty could flatten trees, cut power and cause flooding according to Met Éireann which named the weather event that's due to hit Leinster and Munster the hardest.

The forecaster has also issued new warnings and raised the level of existing alerts for counties in Munster and Leinster to Orange with Status Yellow alerts in force for the rest of the country.

A Status Orange wind and rainfall warning has been declared for Cork, Waterford, Kilkenny.

Met Éireann says Storm Betty will bring south to southwest gales late Friday into Saturday. Severe gusts of up to 130 km/hr are expected with spells of heavy rain and possible coastal flooding.

The potential impacts in the Status Orange zone are:

• Structural damage
• Falling trees
• Travel disruption.
• Power outages.
• Localised flooding
• Wave overtopping.

The Orange Warning is valid from 9pm on Friday to 3am on Saturday.

Meanwhile, a Status Yellow rain warning remains for Laois, Carlow, Kilkenny, Offaly, Wexford, Munster and Galway.

Met Éireann is forecasting rain with thundery downpours on Friday and Friday night.

The potent impacts are:

• Spot flooding.
• Difficult travelling conditions.

The alert is valid from 2pm to 3am on Saturday

A Status Yellow rain warning has also been declared for Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Longford, Louth, Meath, Westmeath, Wicklow, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo.

Met Éireann says there will be heavy rain with thundery downpours on Friday and Friday night with strong winds at times along eastern facing coasts.

The potential impacts are:

• Spot flooding.
• Difficult travelling conditions.
• Wave overtopping on eastern facing coasts.

It is valid from 5pm Friday to 6am on Saturday.

A Status Yellow wind warning for Leinster and Munster has also been announced. Met Éireann says it will become very windy with southeast winds, veering southwest gusting up to 110km/h, higher on exposed coasts and hills.

The potential impacts are:

• Damage to temporary structures.
• Travel disruption.
• Power outages.
• Wave overtopping.

It is valid from 9pm on Friday to 6am on Saturday.

Storm Betty is just the second named storm in the 2022/23 storm season and comes just a couple of weeks after Storm Antoni. The new storm season begins in September. More below tweet.

Met Éireann have named #StormBetty

This is the second named storm of this August and is likely to bring very strong winds , and some heavy downpours ️⛈️⤵️https://t.co/Xg3aMJlyuS pic.twitter.com/9dukghoO04

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) August 18, 2023

Met Éireann co-names storms with the Met Office in the UK and the Dutch weather forecasting service. MORE BELOW TWEET.

Met Eireann have named #StormBetty
This is the second named storm of this August and is likely to bring very strong winds ️, and some heavy and thundery downpours ️⛈️ to parts of the UK pic.twitter.com/fftgsPw74p

— Met Office (@metoffice) August 18, 2023

National Forecast issued by Met Éireann on August 18 at 11:20am.

Friday: Mostly cloudy for with outbreaks of rain. During this afternoon, heavy and persistent rain will move in across the south and southwest of the country with some flooding. It will extend nationwide during the evening with the localised flooding. During the evening, south to southeast winds will increase to gale force in the south as Storm Betty approaches from the south. Highs of 17 to 22 degrees with mist and fog on coasts and hills.

Tonight, Storm Betty will bring very strong south-to-southwest winds up over Ireland. They'll be strongest in Munster and Leinster with severe gusts in places especially in coastal and mountainous areas. Further spells of heavy rain with localised flooding. Lowest temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees

Saturday: Rain in Ulster will clear quickly on Saturday morning to leave a bright and breezy day nationwide with sunny spells. A few showers will occur, mainly in the southwest and west of the country. Maximum temperatures of 18 to 22 degrees in fresh and gusty southwest winds.

Clear spells and a few showers on Saturday night, the showers mainly affecting the south and west of the country. Lowest temperatures overnight of 12 to 15 degrees in moderate southerly winds.

Sunday: Plenty of dry weather on Sunday with spells of sunshine and just a few showers, mainly confined to Atlantic coastal counties. A fairly warm day with highest temperatures of 18 to 23 degrees in a moderate to fresh southwest breeze. Clear spells and a few showers about early on Sunday night. However, it looks set to become mostly cloudy later with patchy rain developing. A humid night with lowest temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees in a moderate southerly breeze.

Monday: It looks set to be a showery day on Monday with sunny spells and fairly widespread showers. Some of the showers are likely to be heavy and prolonged. Top temperatures of 19 to 22 degrees in a moderate to fresh southwest wind. Clear spells and scattered showers on Monday night, the showers mainly affecting Atlantic coastal counties. Lowest temperatures of 13 to 16 degrees in light southwest winds.

Tuesday: Another day of bright spells and showers is expected on Tuesday. Heavy and thundery showers are possible, especially during the afternoon. Becoming mostly dry and sunny in the evening. Highest temperatures of 18 to 22 degrees in a moderate southwest breeze. Largely dry on Tuesday night with long clear spells. Lowest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees in light southwest winds.