Met Eireann issues snow advisory for five counties and many others to be affected by icy 100km / h winds

Ireland will now have three different weather warnings in the coming days, as snow, wind, hail and thunder hit.

As we previously reported, Donegal will be affected by snow today after Met Eireann placed it under a yellow status alert on Wednesday.

But this original warning has now spread to Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, and Sligo.

Other parts of the country can also expect to experience some winter rains, with strong winds bringing very cold conditions.

Now, the national forecaster has put eight counties, including Donegal, under a wind advisory, with gusts of 100 km / h hitting the country.

The first alert is for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo, which will go into effect at 11am on Friday morning and will remain in place until 11pm later that night.

“North-northwest winds will strengthen on Friday, with gusts of up to 100 km / h with a slight risk of coastal flooding,” said a Met Eireann spokesman.

The second wind warning is for Clare, Cork, Kerry, and Limerick, beginning at 4pm on Friday and expiring at 6am on Saturday.

The west coast will suffer the brunt of what is described as ‘bitter conditions’, but experts cannot rule out freezing rains in other parts of the country.

Discussing the national outlook, one forecaster said: “Bitterly cold day with widespread heavy rains at first, some of which will be winter, along with isolated thunderstorms.

“The rains will gradually be confined to the Atlantic counties, with periods of winter sunshine developing elsewhere. The highest temperatures of only 2 ° C to 5 ° C, the coldest in Ulster, all with light to moderate breezes from the west to northwest.

“This night was very cold with generalized strong to severe frost and possible ice patches. Generally dry with long clear periods.

“However, some winter rains will persist closer to the Atlantic, along with isolated thunderstorms. Lower temperatures of 0 ° C to minus 3 ° C, with light to moderate breezes from the northwest.”

The country will wake up to widespread frost on Friday, and road users are urged to take it easy as the icy stretches take over.

But in some good news, despite the freezing conditions, it will be a mostly dry and sunny day.

But there is slightly more discouraging news for the Northwest, which will be at risk of hail and thunderstorms.

Friday night will see more rain and local hail, with some sleet coming as well.

Met Eireann warns that a biting wind will bring an “additional chill factor”, with temperatures dropping back to 0 ° C.