Weather warnings have been issued across Northern Ireland, as heavy rain and strong winds are set to cause disruption this weekend.
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for wind and rain in parts of Northern Ireland between Friday and Sunday. Warnings issued for Friday are in place until around 6pm, affecting major cities including Belfast
Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: “We are in a very unsettled period of weather at the moment, with the exception perhaps being a slightly better situation tomorrow, but certainly there are weather warnings affecting pretty much all parts of the UK today.”
The Met Office warned of travel delays and loss of power, with winds reaching 70mph for parts of the country. Saturday is expected to be a drier day while Sunday will see new warnings of heavy rain and strong winds from 7am until 9pm for most of the country.
“On Sunday, we have a large area of low pressure coming in and bringing very wet and windy conditions,” Mr Madge said. Despite the wet and windy weather, temperatures will be warmer, with highs of 13-14C in Belfast.
“The weather pattern that we’ve got at the moment is it’s really a tropical flow that’s set up, coming in from much further south in the Atlantic, so that’s got mild and moist air flow associated with it that’s responsible for bringing sort of today’s wind and rain,” Mr Madge added.
“In the weekend that will be amplified by this low pressure, which is currently building off Canada and will come across the Atlantic to affect us by Sunday.”
Here's what to expect for the coming weekend in Northern Ireland on the weather front:
Saturday:
A mainly dry, bright and breezy day with some good sunny spells. A few scattered showers moving through, mainly in the west. Maximum temperature 11°C.
Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:
Wet, very windy Sunday with southerly gales, locally severe on coasts. Rain clearing Sunday afternoon and becoming brighter with showers. Bright, sunny spells and showers on Monday and Tuesday.
UK long range weather forecast: Wednesday 26 February - Friday 7 March
Changeable weather is expected across the UK during this period with Atlantic weather systems spreading in from the west at times. These systems will bring periods of wet and windy weather, with a risk of heavy rain and gales at times.
The heaviest rainfall and strongest winds are most likely to affect western and northwestern regions of the UK, with rainfall totals typically lower and winds lighter in the southeast. Between weather systems, some drier and brighter interludes are likely to develop with lighter winds, spells of sunshine and perhaps a few showers.
Temperatures are likely to be above average overall, although some short-lived colder spells are possible at times, particularly in the north of the UK.
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