IT’S EXPECTED TO be very windy and wet over the weekend with gale force winds set to hit coasts as Storm Atiyah makes landfall on Sunday.

Met Éireann has issued a Status Orange wind warning for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Clare, Kerry and Limerick. 

It will kick in at 9am on Sunday and last until 6am on Monday. 

A yellow weather warning is also in place for strong winds for Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Roscommon, Cork, Tipperary and Waterford from 3pm Sunday until 6am Monday. 

The storm will generate very strong winds across the country with southwesterly winds reaching speeds of 65 to 80km/h with gusts from 110 to 130km/h. 

High seas of between 10 and 12 metres are expected along western coasts between Mizen Head and Erris Head, with the possibility of coastal flooding.

Temperatures in the afternoon will be 6 or 7 degrees (higher at coasts) with little change in temperature overnight on Sunday.

Road safety

The Road Safety Authority is asking road users to exercise caution while using the roads during the stormy period. They ask motorists to beware of objects blowing onto the road and to reduce speed.

If the road ahead is flooded, the RSA recommends to choose another route and not to drive through it. 

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They advise cyclists and motorcyclists to delay or cancel a planned trip during Storm Atiyah.

Conditions will ease off on Monday, which will be mainly dry with sunshine developing.

Temperatures will range between 7 and 9 degrees in the afternoon, dropping sharply after dark to near freezing in the first half of the night, but will rise going into Tuesday as rain develops.

Met Éireann has said unsettled and changeable weather will continue throughout next week.

Storm Atiyah is the first storm of the season named by Met Eireann under its partnership with the UK Met Office as part of the ‘Name our Storms’ scheme, which aims to raise awareness of severe weather before it hits.