Carlow to be battered as Met Éireann issues new weather warning

Met Éireann has issued a new Status Yellow rainfall warning for seven counties, including Carlow, with horrendous conditions to bring a new flooding risk.

The warning follows cold weather warnings in recent days, but while temperatures are picking up, the country looks set to endure wind and rain for the rest of the week.

The warning has been issued for Carlow, Kerry, Cork, Waterford, Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow.

In its update, Met Éireann warns that "spells of heavy rain spreading eastwards will be accompanied by strong and gusty southeasterly winds."

They list the potential impacts as "localised flooding, difficult travelling conditions and poor visibility."

The warning is valid from 10am on Wednesday until 1pm on Thursday.

In its general forecast, Met Éireann says Wednesday "will be a damp, cloudy and rather windy day, with outbreaks of rain, turning heavy at times, especially across parts of Munster and south Leinster, bringing a risk of spot flooding. Milder than recent days, with afternoon highs of 7 to 10 degrees generally, though a little cooler in Ulster, in fresh to strong and gusty southeast winds.

"Mild, wet and windy, especially in the east and north early on [Wednesday night]. Outbreaks of rain, heavy at times, will give way to some drier intervals extending from the southwest for a time, but further outbreaks of rain and drizzle will spread from the south later in the night. Lowest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees, coldest in Ulster early on. Fresh to strong and gusty southeast winds will moderate for a time before picking up again towards morning.

"Damp or wet and breezy to begin on Thursday with further outbreaks of rain, heavy at times, bringing an ongoing risk of spot flooding. A clearance to sunny spells and blustery showers, some heavy, will extend from the southwest through the morning and early afternoon. Highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees in fresh to strong and gusty southerly winds, with coastal gales developing on Atlantic and southern coasts during the afternoon and evening."

Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather has said we may even get stormy weather later this week on Thursday and especially on Sunday as an Atlantic low system takes hold.

Plenty of windy weather ahead with ECMWF showing risk of some very strong winds Sunday, other models keep that storm further South though. Wind and rain returns tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/OAMQquZKPI

— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) December 5, 2023