Met Éireann have issued a weather advisory for 15 counties.
The advisory is in place for Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, Cavan, Donegal, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary as of 12pm on Saturday, March 7. It will remain in place until 6pm on Tuesday, March 13.
The weather forecaster have warned that periods of heavy rainfall from Saturday to Tuesday may lead to some local flooding, with river levels remaining elevated.
The heaviest of the rain will be through Saturday afternoon, and again early Monday and early Tuesday, with rainfall accumulations from Saturday to Tuesday of 40 to 50mm in places, with some spot flooding.
Looking towards the rest of the forecast over the next few days, Sunday will see sunny spells and frequent showers – with some of them heavy with hail and a risk of thunder.
Temperatures will reach between 7C and 9C, with fresh gusty westerly winds gaining strength in the afternoon.
Showers will become increasingly confined to the west and north for a time on Sunday night, and rain will push into Atlantic coastal counties overnight.
It will be wet and windy on Monday, with rain becoming widespread in the morning, and falling as sleet and hill snow for a time in parts of Ulster. The rain will be heavy, especially in Atlantic coastal counties, with some spot flooding, but a move to showers will extend from the west in the afternoon.
Blustery westerly winds easing on Monday evening but winds increasing again overnight in fresh to strong and gusty southwesterly winds as further outbreaks of rain push in off the Atlantic, with coastal gales again by morning. The rain will clear again by morning or soon after.
Tuesday will be windy and blustery with bright or sunny spells and scattered showers, and temperatures between 7C and 11C.
