Very heavy rain showers are expected in many parts of the country today, as a thunderstorm warning comes into effect.
A status yellow weather warning is in effect for 18 counties - all of Leinster, Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Leitrim, Roscommon and Sligo.
Met Éireann says scattered heavy showers with localised thundery downpours will lead to a risk of spot flooding.
Rain in the east & northeast today with sunshine & showers elsewhere🌧️⛈️
There'll be heavier showers with a chance of thunderstorms & localised flooding from around lunchtime until early evening;areas at risk the counties north & east of a line from Sligo to Wexford
Max 17 to 20C pic.twitter.com/wOsZVbxN7g— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) August 21, 2021
The weather warning is in effect from midday until 8pm on Saturday, with a similar warning in effect for Northern Ireland.
Showers are then expected to die out this evening, leading to a dry but rather cloudy Sunday in most areas.
Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather says the rain will get very heavy during the afternoon and early evening.
He said: “There’s going to be some very heavy, thundery downpours - and they will develop very quickly.
“While there will be some scattered showers at first, they will intensify to some thundery showers - with some torrential rain possible.
"Driving conditions can change very quickly when those showers develop.”
