Clare placed under Status Orange thunderstorm and rain warning

A Status Orange thunderstorm and rain warning has been issued for Co Clare by Met Éireann.

Clare, Galway and north Tipperary are to experience a line of intense thunderstorms across Friday afternoon and evening, Met Éireann have said.

Early evening will bring lightning, hail and torrential downpours giving localised flooding in places, with very hazardous driving conditions.

Thunder has already been heard in parts of Ennis, Clarecastle, Sixmilebridge, Shannon and Newmarket-on-Fergus.

All of Ireland was placed under a Status Yellow thunderstorm and rain warning earlier on Friday as the hot weather is set to remain into the weekend. The warning, which lasts until 8pm, advises that thunderstorms will affect a number of areas this afternoon and evening.

Wicklow, Kildare, Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Clare, Galway, Mayo and Roscommon were deemed the counties most at risk under the Status Yellow warning.

Alongside the thunderstorm risk, heatwave conditions are persisting with Met Éireann forecasting that temperatures will reach into the high 20s and possibly above 30C on Friday. A Status Yellow hot temperature warning is in place for the country until at least 9am tomorrow.

Met Éireann communications meteorologist Bonnie Diamond said that the warm weather conditions will continue over the weekend, with temperatures expected to be in the low to mid 20s and some good sunny spells. The seven-day duration of the current heatwave is “quite exceptional”, she said, where temperatures have been in the high 20s and 30s day after day.