IT’S SET TO be a wet and thundery few days ahead with a weather warning to kick in later today. 

A Status Yellow thunderstorm warning will be in place from midday for Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow and Tipperary. This warning will remain in place until 9pm tonight. 

The UK’s Met Office has also issued Yellow thunderstorm warning for the six counties in Northern Ireland. This will kick in at midday and will remain in place until 9pm tonight.

Looking at the general forecast, rain showers are to become widespread and heavy throughout this afternoon.

Thunderstorms and spot flooding are likely in parts of Leinster and Ulster with hail possible, Met Éireann has said. 

The heavy showers are expected to mostly clear by nightfall. 

Highest temperatures today will rain between 14 and 20 degrees, warmest in the east. 

Tonight will be mainly dry with clear spells as showers become isolated. However, towards morning, more heavy showers will develop near the west coast. 

Tomorrow will see showers spread eastwards and become more widespread, some heavy and thundery in the afternoon. There will be some sunny spells at times, too. 

Tomorrow night is forecast to be mostly cloudy with showers or longer spells of rain. 

Looking ahead to Wednesday, Met Éireann has said it will be a showery say with some heavy and possibly thundery downpours. Some sunny breaks are expected, however. 

Sunshine and showers are once again expected on Thursday. 

Friday is due to be mainly dry with some sunshine. 

Met Éireann has said that current indications suggest next weekend will be changeable with some rain or showers at times, along with some dry and bright periods.