Status Orange weather warning issued amid a showery start to Easter weekend

MET ÉIREANN HAS issued a Status Orange rain warning for Wicklow as heavy rain moves across the country.

14 counties on the island of Ireland are subject to warnings today. Spells of rain — heavy at times — are forecast, with localised flooding possible in some areas.

Wicklow’s warning is the most severe and was issued just before 10.30am this morning, coming into effect immediately. The advisory remains in place until Saturday at 11am.

Friday's warnings. Met Éireann

Yellow warnings are in effect for a number of other areas: Carlow, Dublin, Kilkenny, Louth, Wexford, Waterford until 6am Saturday; Cork and Kerry until 9pm Friday; Clare, Galway, and Mayo until 9pm; Antrim and Down until 3pm Saturday, with an additional warning of poor driving conditions.

Rain will persist in parts of the country overnight. Met Éireann forecasts “another wet start to the day tomorrow Saturday with a lot of excess surface water”.

“While the rain will tend to ease off into the afternoon, it will remain rather cloudy, with lingering rain in places. Some mist and hill fog too.”

Friday's warnings. Met Éireann