Weather warning issued as mild conditions give way to gales

The exceptionally mild winter brought night time temperatures into double figures over the weekend but incoming rain and winds have prompted Mét Éireann to issue a status yellow warning.

At Malin Head nighttime temperatures did not drop below 13 degrees on Sunday night. At 8pm on Sunday evening the temperature at Dublin Airport was 15 degrees.

After a brief cold snap, January has become mild again, but the mild south-westerly winds are expect to strengthen significantly in the coming days.

A status yellow warning is in place for the western half of the country, however, with high winds and heavy rain expected from midnight to 2pm on Tuesday.

Winds of up to 60 to 65 km/h with offshore gusts of 100 km/h are expected all along the westernseaboard.

They will be accompanied by very heavy falls of rain with up to 30 to 40mms expected in west Munster, Connacht and Donegal.

The rest of the week looks like a return to more normal conditions for this time of year. It will turn colder on Wednesday with temperatures of between 4 and 7 degrees across the country.

Thursday will also be wet and windy but mild. The mild, wet and windy weather is set to continue into the weekend.

Mild and wet weather has been a feature of the year to date. Dublin recorded the warmest December since records began in 1855 with an average of 9 degrees, 3.6 degrees above normal. Valentia Observatory equalled its highest since 1893 with 10 degrees, 2.3 degrees above normal. Malin Head recorded a temperature of 16 degrees on December 17th.