Status Yellow warning extended to more counties with 'hazardous driving conditions' forecast

An existing Status Yellow wind warning has been extended to include three more western counties with “hazardous driving conditions expected in exposed areas”.

Met Éireann has issued the latest yellow wind alert for counties Clare, Galway and Mayo from 1pm today until 9pm tonight.

Met Éireann said: “Very strong southwest winds, veering west to northwest are expected on Wednesday afternoon and evening. Winds will be strongest at the coast with some severe gusts along with a possibility of wave overtopping. Hazardous driving conditions are expected in exposed areas".

There are also warnings of “wave overtopping”, with gale force winds set to reach 9 on the Irish Sea. 

The initial wind warning for counties Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo have now been extended until 6am tomorrow.

The UK Met Office has also issued a yellow wind warning for counties Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone from 8pm this evening until 5am tomorrow, with the strong winds overnight expected to bring “a few travel impacts”. 

A yellow gale warning is in place for all coastal areas around Ireland and the Irish Sea until 6am tomorrow.

“Southwest winds, veering west to northwest will increase to gale force 8 on all Irish coastal waters and on the Irish Sea, reaching strong gale force 9 at times from Slyne Head to Erris Head to Bloody Foreland,” Met Éireann said.

The outlook for the coming days is for it to be generally cool and unsettled for the rest of the week. It will be driest and calmest on Saturday.