Met Eireann has issued two separate rainfall alerts for various parts of the country.

An orange warning is in place for Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Cork, Tipperary and Waterford. This means there could be spells of heavy and thundery rain with localised flooding.

Rainfall totals of around 40 to 70 millimetres are expected to fall in these areas.

Separately a yellow rainfall warning has been issued for Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Louth, Offaly, Westmeath and Meath. Spells of heavy, thundery rain with totals of around 25 to 40 millimetres are forecast for these counties.

Drivers are reminded to take care in flooded areas

The overall forecast will be mostly cloudy and misty today with outbreaks of rain, persistent and heavy across the midlands, south and east with a small risk of thunder.

But Met Eireann says lighter and more showery weather will be further west, and mainly dry in the far west.

Tonight will see rain will become confined to eastern counties overnight, before eventually clearing away east later. Other areas will be dry apart from isolated showers, with lowest temperatures of 10 to 14 degrees.

Met Eireann forecaster Siobhan Ryan tells us what we can expect.