An unseasonably wet and blustery August bank holiday weekend.

Update – Sunday August 4th 2024

A low-pressure system will steer weather fronts over the country on Sunday and Monday. 

This system will bring warm and very moist air, and this has the potential to produce heavy and intense spells of rain, which will fall in a relatively short time. 

Expected impacts from the heavy rain will be surface and river flooding as well as disruption to travel.

 

There are yellow rainfall warnings in place on Sunday for Clare, Donegal and Connacht. 

The warnings start at midday and run through to midday on Bank Holiday Monday. 

The rain has the potential to cause flooding, damage to temporary structures as well as cause difficult driving conditions.

 

Early tonight, even heavier rain will move in over the country. Orange rainfall warnings have been issued for Galway, Mayo and Donegal. 

The warnings will start at midnight on Sunday and will end at 10:00 on Bank Holiday Monday morning.

 

As this is a Bank Holiday weekend, there will be many people on holiday, and it is important that they take note of the rainfall warnings and take the appropriate steps to protect themselves. 

As well as the unseasonably wet conditions there will be strong winds especially along coasts and over exposed ground so people should take care near the coasts.

 

The impacts from the rain will continue after the weather warnings cease as there is likely to be surface flooding, as well as runoff from fields and surfaced areas and smaller river catchments impacted by the heavy rain may get out of bank.

 

 

Updated on Saturday 03rd August 2024

 

After a rather pleasant end to July, a broad area of low pressure in the north Atlantic will introduce more unsettled conditions for the August bank holiday weekend. This low pressure will steer frontal systems across Ireland, with spells of heavy rain expected on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday, coupled with fresh to strong and gusty southerly winds along Atlantic coasts.

 

 

 

Met Éireann forecaster Aoife Kealy said “It’ll feel fresher on Saturday but despite that, it will be the best day of the weekend. Though the temperatures will drop back to the mid to high teens, there’ll be plenty of dry spells and some sunshine between the scattered showers.”

 

 

 

The drier and brighter weather will be short-lived, as the next low pressure system in the north Atlantic drives weather fronts across Ireland on Sunday and Monday.

 

 

 

Aoife explained “This low pressure system will drag a warm, moist airmass with it from the mid-Atlantic. That warm, moisture-laden air will act like fuel for this system, meaning the rain that it brings will be heavy.”

 

 

 

Through Sunday afternoon and much of Monday, that heavy rain will move eastwards across the country. The rain will be heaviest in the west and southwest with flooding possible. Becoming blustery also, with fresh and gusty southerly winds developing, strong on western and southern coasts.

 

 

 

It will also be very mild on Sunday night due to the warm airmass that the low pressure system will introduce. Temperatures will not fall below 14 to 17 degrees, so it will be an uncomfortable night for sleeping.

 

 

 

Aoife continued “With the bank holiday weekend, more people will be out and about and they may not expect the unseasonably wet weather and strong winds. Sunday will not start off too bad but don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security. The rain will get progressively heavier through the afternoon and evening with those southerly winds picking up, so make sure to check the forecast and any warnings for your area before heading out.”

Yellow warnings have been issued for heavy rainfall for counties Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal from Sunday afternoon through to Monday afternoon.

 

 

 

Potential impacts:

 

Localised flooding

Damage to temporary structures

Difficult travel conditions

Poor visibility

 

 

Stay in contact with the forecast over the coming days for the most up to date information on met.ie and on the Met Éireann app, particularly if planning outdoor activities.

 

 

 

Looking ahead to next week, current indications suggest that while it will be largely unsettled with showers and rain at times, no further impactful weather is expected.