KILKENNY WEATHER: Rain, sleet and high winds to batter country over coming days

Kilkenny enjoyed a fairly glorious weekend, with clear skies, sunny spells and temperatures.

But unfortunately  that’s all set to change as rain sleet and high winds batter the country over the next few days, with freezing temperatures once the sun goes down.

That’s according to the latest forecast from Met Éireann, who warned ‘squally’ conditions are on the way.

Today will be “a mix of cloud and bright spells with local frost clearing”. But Met Éireamm warned: “Cloud will continue to gradually build from the south with the best of the late afternoon sunny spells in the northwest. Largely dry for the day with just some patchy drizzle, mainly near southern coasts but becoming breezy as southeast winds freshen, increasing strong at times near Atlantic coasts. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees.”

Tomorrow will start off wet and windy as rain in the southwest tracks northeastwards with some heavy falls, especially in parts of the south and Connacht with spot flooding possible.

Wednesday will also be “wet and windy at first”, with fresh to strong and gusty southerly winds and widespread heavy rain bringing a further chance of spot flooding. Met Éireann said there will be some falls of sleet too, especially ahead of drier, brighter and colder conditions. It added: “Largely dry with mostly clear skies to start but cloud will build from the west overnight. Mostly light westerly winds will back southerly and increase moderate to fresh by morning. Cold with lowest temperatures of -3 to +1 degrees”

Thursday will become breezy through the morning and afternoon as fresh and gusty south to southeast winds develop. Met Éireann said: “Mild, cloudy and mostly dry for daylight hours but there will be patchy rain and drizzle at times, mainly in southern and western areas. Highest temperatures of 8 to 10 degrees. Later in the evening, a band of rain will move in from the west, tracking eastwards through the night with some heavy falls and clearing to showers over the western half of the country by morning. Milder than previous nights with temperatures not falling below 6 to 8 degrees.”

The last of the overnight rain will clear from the east early on Friday morning to leave a day of sunny spells and showers. The showers will be heavy or thundery at times with possible hail, with highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees.

And the unsettled conditions look set to contininue over the weekend, with further spells of rain and showers and highest temperatures generally of 8 to 10 degrees.