It’s the weekend, it’s Ireland, it’s January. It’s wet, cold and miserable.
According to Met Éireann, winds gusted at up to 50 mph locally today. There were scattered heavy or thundery showers in the West. Tonight will feature more of those scattered showers, but also some clear spells, with some lucky areas remaining dry. Temperatures will range from 4 to 8 C.
Tomorrow will be very windy, possibly even stormy, with winds gusting to 70 mph or more in places. There will also be some heavy or thundery showers, but some dry bright spells also. The daytime temperatures will range from 7 to the dizzying January highs of 10 C.
Some respite on Sunday though as it turns very mild and close, but with a strong Southerly wind. Top Sunday temperatures 10 to 13 C.
At the moment in Dublin there is very heavy traffic around the South of the city out to Ballsbridge. There are delays around Nassau Street, Mount Street and Merrion Square, with motorists heading out to the RDS, Ballsbridge for the Holiday World Exhibition. Milltown to Dundrum is also heavy with roadworks at Dundrum slowing the flow.
On the northside of the city there are delays outbound on the Swords Road with an accident just past Collins Avenue.
In Co Carlow a four car accident has the N9 blocked to southbound traffic at Castledermot. AA Roadwatch say that roads are also wet on the N9 today.
In Co Galway, a protest in Loughrea between is expected to cause major delays. AA Roadwatch recommends that traffic bound for either Dublin or Galway should take the Ballinasloe/Athenry route instead.