The national forecaster says “stormy conditions” are in store as we hit Thursday and Friday with hail and thunder also expected.

A status yellow rainfall warning is in place for Wexford, Cork and Waterford until 3 pm on Wednesday, following persistent rain overnight.

Rain is set to become persistent on Wednesday and Thursday with some sub-zero temperatures and frost in places, according to the national forecaster.

Cold & dry for a time in north Ulster with frost in places & sub-zero temperatures. Lows of 4 to 8C further south. Persistent or heavy rain over much of the country will spread northwards over Ulster overnight, clearing any frost. Winds will be moderate to fresh east to southeast pic.twitter.com/0Fly4LyoVc

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) December 4, 2018

With this in mind, motorists are being urged to take care as frost and ice are expected to develop.

AA Roadwatch has also warned that spot flooding is likely, particularly in coastal areas and on higher ground. “On wet roads, slow down and allow plenty of extra room to brake. Only drive through water if you know it’s not too deep for your car.”

Persistent rain

“There will be scattered showers of rain and drizzle on Wednesday night with persistent rain developing in Atlantic coastal areas in freshening southwesterly winds, with outbreaks of rain extending eastwards over the country overnight,” according to the Met Éireann website.

Photo via Met Éireann

Thursday will start mild, breezy and damp before rain becoming persistent in the southwest towards the evening. Rain will widespread on Thursday night, accompanied by increasingly windy or possibly stormy conditions for a time as southwesterly gales develop. And there’ll be a definite chill in the air; lowest temperatures will fall to around 3 to 6 degrees.

Galeforce winds

Friday will potentially see galeforce winds with a risk of hail and thunder.

“[There will be] bright spells and scattered blustery showers for Friday,” Met Éireann continued. “Some of the showers will be heavy with a risk of hail and thunder, possibly merging to longer spells of rain later in the day. Southwesterly winds will decrease fresh to strong and gusty for a time, but again the potential for gales force winds through the latter half of the afternoon and evening, as winds veer northwesterly.”

Friday will also be cooler during the day with temperatures ranging from only 5 to 8 degrees while the gusty winds are set to continue overnight – it’s definitely hat, coat and scarf weather!

For the weekend, Saturday is set to start with bright or sunny spells in the morning, while further showers or more extended periods of rain are expected on Saturday night. “A windy night for most in fresh to strong and gusty west to northwest winds, but lighter winds in Ulster.”

And finally, on Sunday, showers are set to become isolated with brighter spells in between.