Met Eireann issue immediate weather warning for six counties with thunderstorms to hit

The beautiful weather has been cut short in the six counties of Munster today with thunderstorms lashing areas.

Met Eireann this afternoon issued a warning valid until 10pm tonight with the risk of thunder and lightning.

Some areas have already seen considerable thunder showers on what is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far.

A Met Eireann forecaster said: "Clusters of slow moving thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evening with lightning activity and local downpours."

UPDATE

Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois and Galway have all now been given warnings until 10pm by Met Eireann.

Luckily the other provinces look set to miss out on the weather and see temperatures well into the twenties with clear skies.

A forecaster added: "Many areas will be dry, calm and warm for the rest of today with further spells of hazy sunshine. Scattered showers developing too though, especially across the southwest; slow moving thundery downpours here may lead to some possible flooding.

"Highest temperatures will range 19 to 23 or 24 degrees Celsius, warmest across the south-midlands; a little cooler across north Ulster and on coasts with sea breezes.

"Cloud and patchy outbreaks of rain will move into northern areas early tonight and will gradually spread southwards. Coldest across the northern half of the country with lowest temperatures of 3 and 7 degrees Celsius, but milder further south with lowest temperatures of 8 to 12 degrees Celsius.

Turning breezy too, with moderate to fresh northeasterly winds, strong along north and east coasts later."

Unfortunately the hot weather will end on Sunday with a return to cool and rainy conditions.

The weather chiefs added: "Sunday will be a much cooler day with brisk northeast winds. Starting out cloudy with some further patchy outbreaks of rain, but overall the day will bring a lot of dry weather with sunny spells extending from the north.

"Highest temperatures of 8 to 12 degrees Celsius in the north and east and 12 to 16 degrees Celsius elsewhere, with fresh and gusty northeast winds, stronger along coasts."