Rainfall warning issued for Connacht and Donegal

Heavy rain on Tuesday morning and afternoon brings the risk of localised flooding in parts of the country, but the mild temperatures and windy conditions that have prevailed in recent days will continue.

Met Éireann issued a 'status yellow' national warning for rainfall in Connacht and Donegal, which remains in operation until 3pm on Tuesday.

The national forecasting service said rain would be lighter further south.

Heavy rain will move southeastwards this afternoon and evening with clear spells and showers following from the north west. Highest temperatures of 8 to 12 degrees with fresh to strong, gusty southwest winds are expected.

Met Éireann said the rain would clear to the south east early on Tuesday night. There will be clear spells and scattered showers for the rest of the night, mainly in the west and north.

Frost will develop in sheltered parts of the east and south, with lowest temperatures of 0 to 4 degrees.

Christmas Eve will be cold, bright and fresh with sunny spells and scattered showers of rain or hail, said Met Éireann.

These will mainly affect west Munster, Connacht and Ulster, and will be more isolated in Leinster and east Munster.

Christmas Day weather looks set to be mostly dry and bright with sunny spells.

Met Éireann said there would be a few isolated showers on north facing coasts.

Highest temperatures will be 5 to 8 degrees, with light to moderate west to north west breezes. The night will be very cold with a widespread sharp frost, patches of fog and some icy patches.

St Stephen’s day will start off dry and frost, fog and icy patches will clear through the morning.

Rain will develop along the west coast during the afternoon. It will spread eastwards to all areas through the evening along with fresh to strong southerly winds, said Met Éireann. St Stephen’s night, Friday, will be wet and windy with heavy rain in all areas at times.

Rain will clear to the south east on Saturday morning and it will become very cold with fresh west to north west breezes feeding showers of rain, hail and sleet from the west.

Afternoon temperatures will be a colder 3 to 6 degrees.