Multiple weather warnings in places as Storm Gerrit approaches Ireland

Simon Kelly

Localised flooding is a risk.

The evening of St Stephen’s Day is set to be a miserable one as Met Éireann have issued a Status Yellow rainfall warning for the whole of Ireland, as well as a Status Orange rainfall warning for West Cork and Kerry.

Both warnings are valid from 8pm on Tuesday, December 26 until 12am on Thursday, December 28, with the incoming storm named by the Met Office as Gerrit.

The national forecaster included in their warning: “Heavy rain overnight (Tuesday), followed by heavy showers tomorrow (Wednesday), may lead to localised flooding.

“Strong southerly winds overnight, veering southwesterly tomorrow, in conjunction with spring tides, may lead to coastal flooding.”

⚠️Status Yellow – Wind and Rain warning for Ireland⚠️

See warning details➡️https://t.co/Xg3aMJlyuS pic.twitter.com/VUbdxAhbvt

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) December 26, 2023

National outlook

Tuesday, December 26
Met Éireann have said that St. Stephen’s Day will be a cold day with spells of sunshine. Dry across most areas for daylight hours with just light breezes. Sunshine will gradually turn hazier though with rain arriving into Munster through the afternoon.

Wet and windy weather will slowly extend to remaining areas during the evening and early in the night. Some surface water flooding is possible. Highest afternoon temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees. Southeasterly winds will freshen with the arrival of the rain later.

Tonight there are wet and very windy with outbreaks of rain, heavy at times, possibly turning to sleet on mountains in north Ulster. Some surface water flooding is likely.

Lowest temperatures of 1 to 4 degrees occurring early in the night will rapidly rise to values of 7 to 10 degrees by dawn on Wednesday. Strong to gale force southeast winds.

Wednesday, December 27
A windy day on Wednesday with early rain clearing to bright spells and widespread squally showers. Turning very windy later in the day, especially in the south and west. Maximum temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees in strong southwest winds.

Wednesday night: Cold and windy on Wednesday night with clear spells and showers, some of the showers turning wintry on northern hills. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees in strong southwest winds.

Thursday, December 28
Windy on Thursday with bright spells and widespread showers. Showers most frequent in the west with hail and thunder. Some wintry falls on mountains. Maximum temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees in strong and gusty southwest winds. Clear spells and showers on Thursday night, again with potential for some hail or sleet on the hills. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 4 degrees in moderate to fresh southwest winds. Some frost or ice is possible.

The overview for the remainder of the week is: “Colder than recently and staying unsettled.”