WEATHER WARNING: Batten down the hatches – Storm Dennis set to batter Kilkenny

Parts of Kilkenny are braced for potential flodding this weekend as Storm Dennis wrecks havoc across the country.

Coastal areas can expect up to 70mm of rain between today and Monday morning. Kilkenny and the rest of the country will also experience heavy rain with falls of between 30mm and 40mm, some if it falling as sleet or snow on Saturday and Sunday night.

Met Éireann warned “very heavy rain” will come after a spell of wet weather where river levels are high.

The last week has seen extremely wet weather as a result of Storm Ciara, with some parts getting four times the average amount of rain for the period.

Storm Dennis is set to hit tomorrow morning and will bring widespread heavy rain and strong southerly winds. Temperatures will be around normal, but will drop to near freezing tomorrow night.

Temperatures will reach 7 to 11 degrees and will fall overnight to between 1 and 3 degrees as the rain breaks up and skies clear. There will be widespread showers through the night.

The effects of Storm Dennis will continue to generate strong to near gale force winds on Sunday. It will turn cooler with daytime temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees with showers turning wintry on higher ground in the west.

Scattered showers will continue overnight on Sunday with some turning to sleet or possibly snow in the north and northwest. Temperatures will drop to 2 degrees.

Monday will still see windy weather which will bring showers to western coastal counties. It will be mainly dry with sunny spells further east. There will be highs of 7 to 9 degrees.

Showery and windy conditions will continue into next week.