Status yellow wind warning issued for the entire country

Met Éireann have issued a status yellow wind warning for Ireland valid from 1am tonight, Friday night, through tomorrow Saturday.

Some severe gusts are possible in strong to gale force south winds, veering west or southwest during the day. Very high seas around coasts with a risk of coastal flooding is also forecast.

What will start out as a mostly clear start to tonight will become wet and very windy later as rain sweeps northwards over the country accompanied by strong to gale force south or southeast winds.

Some severe and potentially damaging gusts occurring towards dawn.

Saturday October 31, Halloween, will start out wet and very windy followed by severe and potentially damaging gusts for a time with weather warnings in operation.

It will continue windy during the afternoon with a mix of dry periods and squally showers.

Winds will moderate for a time in the evening, but a further spell of wet and windy weather will spread from the Atlantic on Saturday night.

Rain will clear north-eastwards on Sunday morning to leave it predominantly dry part of the dry with bright spells. However, another pulse of heavy rain will extend across the country during the afternoon and evening.

Maximum temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees in fresh to strong southwest winds, potentially increasing to gale force.

Speaking to local forecaster Cathal Nolan on what this means for the Midlands, he said "Conditions won't be too extreme in the Midlands on Saturday".

"It will be pretty overcast and wet in the morning, clearing away to sunnier spells in the afternoon.

"There will be strong winds for a time, with highest gusts of between 70 - 80km/h inland," said the Ireland's Weather Channel online forecaster.

Rain is due to persist overnight with a very mild air moving in across the south of the country but cooler in the northwest. A risk of very strong winds developing for a time.

For the week ahead, it will be unsettled at first but turning drier and calmer by mid-week.