The weather over the week has been rather unsettled with very heavy periods of rain and windy conditions at times in places with flooding also reported today across southern and eastern parts of Ireland due to the volumes of rain falling with rivers and waterlogged ground now finding it hard to absorb all the water falling form the Irish sky.

Another spell of wet and windy weather is expected again on Saturday morning and afternoon with the risk of some stronger winds across parts of the east of Ireland for a time later Saturday morning and afternoon.

Early next week a stronger wind storm looks as it may hit Ireland also before drier weather move in later next week.

On Saturday a area of low pressure with its center will pass up over the west of Ireland bringing strong winds on its eastern and southern flank to parts of the east and south of Ireland later in the morning and over the afternoon with winds gusting between 80km/hr to 100km/hr across parts of Munster and Leinster a yellow weather warning for wind has been issued by Met Eireann this afternoon for Saturday

**ECMWF WEATHER MODEL showing the strong winds across south and east of Ireland Saturday afternoon**

For Saturday evening and night further warnings look like they could be issued for the northern half of Ireland with them strong southerly winds then transferring up across Ulster and parts of Connacht with strong south to southwesterly winds as the low pressure clears to the north of Ireland. Some gusts of up to 100km/hr possible in northern places overnight Saturday .

**ECMWF WEATHER MODEL showing the strong winds across the northern half of Ireland on Saturday night**

Heavy rain on Saturday will give the risk of further flooding in places with the rain on Saturday heaviest in the south and west of Ireland . Rain clearing to the north later in the afternoon with drier weather developing for many by evening but remaining windy across the northern half of Ireland.

DRIER WEATHER WITH GOOD SUNSHINE ON SUNDAY AND MUCH OF MONDAY

The good news is then that there will be a drier period before the next period of strong winds and heavy rain come Monday night and Tuesday but before then Sunday looks set to be a rather dry day for much of Ireland with good bright and sunny spells with winds southwesterly in direction and fresh to moderate. a few isolated showers will be possible but mainly across western coastal areas.

Much of Monday again looks dry with nice bright and sunny spells but cloud increasing from the southwest over the evening with that band of wet and windy weather moving in overnight.

**ECMWF WEATHER MODEL showing drier weather on Sunday and Monday**

STORM RISK NEXT MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY

On Monday night a developing low pressure system looks set to move northwards up of the west of Ireland but this low pressure system has a large wind field and will bring strong winds to all areas overnight Monday and on Tuesday morning with some parts of the southwest, west and northwest potentially seen severe and damaging gusts this has the potential to be a named wind storm based on the latest data but this will become more clear over the weekend. Some gusts of 130km/hr will be possible across Atlantic coastal areas with winds elsewhere gusting between 80km/hr to 110km/hr.

**ECMWF WEATHER MODEL showing the strong winds across Ireland Monday night and Tuesday**

Monday night and over much of Tuesday as well as strong/severe winds Ireland will see further heavy rain with the risk of flooding increasing with some areas possibly seen around 30mm to 50mm of rainfall with the highest amounts looking as they will be across the western and southern half of Ireland. Some higher amounts will be possible over high ground areas.

HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING LATER NEXT WEEK AND NEXT WEEKEND

The good news is that high pressure look set to build towards the end of next week when that stormy weather passes on Tuesday .

At present it looks as there will be some further rain on Wednesday across the south and east with drier but cloudy weather to the west and north. High pressure then builds from the south and drifts up over Ireland towards next weekend with dry weather for much of the country with good sunny spells at times. Temperatures will range between 5C to 9C by day but cooler at night with the risk of frost in a few places with lows of around 4C to -2C. Much of the models show Ireland siting in a southeasterly flow next weekend which will be a much need break for many.