Two weather warnings are in place as Storm Hannah is set to lash Ireland with gale force winds of up to 130 km/h.
Met Eireann has warned of possible disruption and power outages as the country will see a wet and windy end to the week.
A Status Orange wind warning is in place for Clare, Cork, Kerry, and Limerick.
The warning is valid from Friday 4pm to Saturday 5 am.
A Met Eireann forecaster said: “Becoming stormy on Friday evening and overnight as Storm Hannah moves in. Southerly winds, later veering northwesterly will reach mean speeds of 65-80 km/h with gusts of 110 to 130 km/h.
“Be prepared for possible disruption and power outages.”
A Status Yellow wind warning has been issued for Connacht, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly, Donegal, Tipperary, and Waterford.
The warning is in place from Friday 11 pm to Saturday 9 am.
“Becoming very windy on Friday night and for a time on Saturday morning. Southerly winds will veer northwesterly and reach mean speeds of 50-65km/h with gusts of 90 to 110 km/h.”
Forecaster Gerry Mooney said on RTÉ's Morning Ireland that Storm Hannah will hit bring "stormy conditions" to Kerry, Clare and Cork on Friday and strong winds across the rest of Ireland.
The harsh weather will follow a fairly settled week in Ireland.
As of Thursday morning, Dublin had seen temperatures in the low teens Celsius and light patches of rain.
When Friday comes a weather front rising up from the Atlantic will bring with it rain and wind.
The Met Office has warned that severe gales will hit parts of the UK on Friday night.
Storm Hannah is due to make land tomorrow morning, bringing strong winds and heavy rains to Ireland and southern parts of the UK.
Thursday will start off dry with good sunshine in the west and north.
But the afternoon will see longer spells of rain develop in the east and south with "the odd thundery downpour possible".
Temperatures will range between 11C to 15C.
Friday morning will be cloudy with rain spreading over Leinster and Ulster.
A Met Eireann forecaster said: “In the evening it will become very windy or stormy in west and south Munster, with very strong, gusty west to northwest winds. Highest temperatures of 10C to 12C.
Irish weather forecast: Storm Hannah set to batter Ireland as Met Eireann issues Status Yellow warning for Co Cork and Co Kerry“Early on Friday night will west and will be very windy or stormy in Munster and Connacht, especially in coastal areas with very strong, gusty west to northwest winds.
Saturday morning will see rain in the east and northeast clear and gusts in the northwest ease gradually.
“It will be a cool bright day with sunny spells and scattered showers. Highest temperatures of 9C to 12C.”
