Thunderstorm warning in Met Éreann weather forecast

Met Éireann has issued a series of thunderstorm warnings for Ireland with large hail and heavy downpours forecast while the national outlook is for rather unsettled at times with showers and temperatures turning cooler towards the end of the week.

Met Éireann issued a Status Orange alert for Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo which warns of slow moving thunderstorms bringing very heavy downpours and potentially large hail.

Impacts on Monday include flash flooding, very difficult traveling conditions with poor visibility and potential damage to power lines. The warning comes into place at 3pm and remains in place until 9pm today (Monday). 

Met Éireann has also issued a Status Yellow Thunderstorm Warning for Cavan, Donegal, Connacht and Longford. It warns of heavy downpours with thunderstorms and hail and is in place from 2pm until 9pm.

The dramatic start to the week for parts of the country will be followed by an unsettled week of weather with rain in the forecast. MORE BELOW POST.

➡️Weather for the week ahead⬅️

Unsettled this week with a mix of sunshine and showers️

Some heavy showers with thunderstorms and hail⛈️

Temperatures becoming cooler as the week progresses️ pic.twitter.com/QETDu30OoM

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) May 20, 2024

Met Éirann National Forecast issued on May 20 at 2.10pm

Monday: Showers developing this afternoon mainly in the northwest and across parts of the midlands, turning rather heavy with thunderstorms, spot flooding and hail. The showers will continue through to this evening. Mainly dry and bright with plenty of sunny spells elsewhere but it will turn cloudier this evening. Highest temperatures of 19 to 23 degrees and light winds.

A few showers in the midlands, north and west will persist into the night, heavy at times too. Most will clear away overnight with further showers developing towards morning. Winds remaining light with lowest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees.

Tuesday: A cloudy start with showers developing from early morning. The showers will turn heavy and possibly thundery in the east and south for a time in the afternoon and evening. Highest temperatures of 14 to 18 degrees and light winds.

Cloudy and wet with showers continuing into the night, some heavy at times too. Winds will remain light and perhaps a little mild overnight too with lowest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees.

Wednesday: A cloudy and unsettled start with scattered showers becoming more persistent from the afternoon across western and northern counties. Isolated showers will continue to spread further east throughout the country by the evening. Moderate to fresh northwesterly winds and highest temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees.

Staying cloudy with showers slowly becoming more isolated with a few lingering across western and northern counties overnight. Some limited clear spells across southern counties. Moderate northwesterly breezes and lowest temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees.

Thursday: Another rather cloudy day with a band of rain moving in across eastern and northern counties from the afternoon. Staying drier in the west and south until outbreaks of rain develop overnight. Northwesterly breezes will fall light overnight with highest temperatures of 11 to 15 degrees.

Friday: Current models would suggest that Friday will be another very wet day with rain becoming widespread for a time. Winds should remain mostly light with the highest temperatures of 13 to 16 degrees.