Midlands at 'high risk' of thunderstorm activity later today

Much of Westmeath, Roscommon and Longford will be at a 'moderate' to 'high' risk of seeing thunderstorms later today (Thursday), according to forecaster Cathal Nolan of 'Ireland's Weather Channel'.

Certain parts of North Westmeath and North Roscommon are considered to be at "very high risk" of being affected by the storms.

"Where these thunderstorms do occur they will be severe in nature, leading to a high risk of flash flooding, large hail and frequent lightning," wrote Cathal in an update issued on the Ireland's Weather Channel Facebook page this morning.

"After a very hot day, with temperatures reaching up to 28 or 29 degrees Celsius in some places, scattered thunderstorms will develop through the Midlands, East Connacht and South Ulster during the late afternoon and early evening, becoming more widespread through the late evening and overnight," he said.

"Later in the night thunderstorms are also expected to develop along Irish Sea coastal counties, feeding into East Ulster later."

Today's thunderstorm forecast image from Ireland's Weather Channel

Cathal said the storms would likely lead to power cuts in some parts of the affected regions.

"It's also advised to shelter livestock during the late evening and nighttime hours in the high risk zones. Driving conditions during such storms are expected to become locally dangerous.

"Not all areas will see the storms and indeed some areas may escape largely dry. Also the storms won’t really develop until the late afternoon or evening."

Met Eireann's yellow-level thunderstorm warning is in effect for all of Ireland between 4pm today and 9am tomorrow (Friday).