Issued on 30th December 2024, valid until further notice
Deputy Head of Forecasting, Liz Coleman, gives us a summary outlook: “It will be a wet and windy night in the southwest and south for the New Years Eve festivities, especially in those counties where we have warnings in place, with persistent rain and some flurries of sleet or snow possible. So plan ahead if you are going to be out and about celebrating. It will be clearer further north with scattered showers.
The rain will gradually clear to the southeast on New Year’s Day, with brighter conditions and scattered showers following from the northwest through the afternoon. Fresh to strong southwest winds will gradually ease and veer northerly, so that will introduce much colder conditions from Wednesday evening onwards.
Liz continues “quite a change for Thursday and Friday, feeling much more like winter with bright, cold and crisp days and a few wintry showers. Very cold at night with widespread frost and some icy patches so do take care when out and about.”
OVERVIEW
Tuesday (New Year’s Eve) starts off windy with widespread rain:
- Strong to gale force and gusty southwest winds are expected so Met Éireann has issued yellow level wind warnings for parts of the northwest. Wave overtopping possible due to onshore winds and high seas, particularly during high tide times in the northwest on Tuesday evening.
- Rain will persist through the day in the southwest and south, with yellow rainfall warnings issued for this area, which can cause localised flooding as well as hazardous travelling conditions.
- Soils are saturated or approaching saturation countrywide which will increase the rainfall runoff to the rivers. The widespread and prolonged nature of the rain may lead to significant river level increases, especially in smaller and upland catchments. There is the potential for surface water flooding too, where highest rainfall totals are observed.
- The rain will become confined to Munster and south Leinster in the afternoon, with sunny spells and isolated showers elsewhere.
Figure 1 – 6-hour rainfall forecast showing heavy rain sweeping across the country on Tuesday (31st December) and persisting in the southwest and south on Wednesday morning (1st January).
Wednesday (New Years Day): The rain will gradually clear to the southeast.
- Brighter conditions and scattered showers following from the northwest for the afternoon.
- Fresh to strong southwest winds will gradually ease and veer northerly, so that will introduce much colder conditions from Wednesday evening onwards.
Much colder for Thursday (2nd Jan) and Friday (3rd Jan): crisp clear days with temperatures struggling to remain in the single figures during the day. Widespread frosts and icy patches at night as temperatures plumet below zero countrywide.
Figure 2 – Air mass temperatures with blue colour indicating cold temperatures across the country on Thursday 2nd of January.
Currently indications suggest a return to more unsettled conditions on the weekend.
For more advise on how to stay safe check Be Winter Ready (www.gov.ie).
NOTE THAT:
Warnings can be updated. Please keep in touch with Met Éireann’s social media channels, www.met.ie and the Met Éireann app to stay up to date with the forecast and any warnings’ updates.
The timing and location of extreme weather occurrences can significantly affect their impact. It’s important to note that in any individual weather event, not every location within a warning area may experience the same degree of weather or impacts.
When severe weather is expected, weather and impacts at lower levels are also likely to be experienced. The type and level of impacts can be strongly affected by previous weather conditions. When issuing a warning, Met Éireann takes into consideration the forecasted conditions and thresholds, as well as previous weather conditions that may increase the level of impact expected for particular areas.
End of the year forecast: Some wet and windy weather to close out 2024 followed by a cold start to 2025
Issued on 30th December 2024, valid until further notice
Deputy Head of Forecasting, Liz Coleman, gives us a summary outlook: “It will be a wet and windy night in the southwest and south for the New Years Eve festivities, especially in those counties where we have warnings in place, with persistent rain and some flurries of sleet or snow possible. So plan ahead if you are going to be out and about celebrating. It will be clearer further north with scattered showers.
The rain will gradually clear to the southeast on New Year’s Day, with brighter conditions and scattered showers following from the northwest through the afternoon. Fresh to strong southwest winds will gradually ease and veer northerly, so that will introduce much colder conditions from Wednesday evening onwards.
Liz continues “quite a change for Thursday and Friday, feeling much more like winter with bright, cold and crisp days and a few wintry showers. Very cold at night with widespread frost and some icy patches so do take care when out and about.”
OVERVIEW
Tuesday (New Year’s Eve) starts off windy with widespread rain:
Figure 1 – 6-hour rainfall forecast showing heavy rain sweeping across the country on Tuesday (31st December) and persisting in the southwest and south on Wednesday morning (1st January).
Wednesday (New Years Day): The rain will gradually clear to the southeast.
Much colder for Thursday (2nd Jan) and Friday (3rd Jan): crisp clear days with temperatures struggling to remain in the single figures during the day. Widespread frosts and icy patches at night as temperatures plumet below zero countrywide.
Figure 2 – Air mass temperatures with blue colour indicating cold temperatures across the country on Thursday 2nd of January.
Currently indications suggest a return to more unsettled conditions on the weekend.
For more advise on how to stay safe check Be Winter Ready (www.gov.ie).
NOTE THAT:
Warnings can be updated. Please keep in touch with Met Éireann’s social media channels, www.met.ie and the Met Éireann app to stay up to date with the forecast and any warnings’ updates.
The timing and location of extreme weather occurrences can significantly affect their impact. It’s important to note that in any individual weather event, not every location within a warning area may experience the same degree of weather or impacts.
When severe weather is expected, weather and impacts at lower levels are also likely to be experienced. The type and level of impacts can be strongly affected by previous weather conditions. When issuing a warning, Met Éireann takes into consideration the forecasted conditions and thresholds, as well as previous weather conditions that may increase the level of impact expected for particular areas.
Eolas Fúinn