SIX COUNTIES IN the west and southwest will come under a Status Yellow alert for rain later today.

The warning will kick in from 3pm this afternoon and impact counties Clare, Cork, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, and Mayo.

In Cork and Kerry, the alert will remain in place until 1pm tomorrow and Met Éireann is warning of heavy and persistent rain, with the possibility of thunderstorms.

There is also potential for localised flooding, difficult driving conditions, and poor visibility.

Across Clare, Limerick, Galway, and Mayo, the warning is in place until 3am tomorrow.

Met Éireann forecasts heavy and persistent rain across these counties, with possible localised flooding and difficult driving conditions.

Meanwhile, today brings a dry start for most, apart from patchy rain and drizzle in the west and southwest.

But the more persistent rain will then spread over Connacht, Munster and up to west Ulster this afternoon and evening.

Further to the east, it will stay drier with some patches of light rain and drizzle and there will be highest daytime temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees.

But tonight will be wet and breezy for most, with outbreaks of rain becoming widespread and turning heavy in places.

Tomorrow morning will be quite cloudy with outbreaks of rain, heavy for a time and with a chance of localised flooding.

The rain will turn lighter and patchier as the day goes on, with a few sunny spells breaking through in the east and southeast with highest temperatures of 12 to 16 degrees.