Storm Antoni Northern Ireland: Met Office yellow warning for 'unseasonably wet and windy conditions' - though sunny spells also coming

The warning applies right across Northern Ireland and is valid for the first 12 hours of Saturday, up until 11am. However Friday and Sunday appear to be much more settled with warm temperatures and bright spells.

The national forecaster said this morning that there is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded on Saturday morning, causing damage to some buildings. It also said that where flooding occurs, there is a chance of delays or cancellations to train and bus services.

"Spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures," it added. "There is a slight chance of power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses. It may lead to some disruption on Saturday morning."

A Met Office Yellow Warning means the weather will cause some low level impacts, including some disruption to travel in a few places.

"Heavy and persistent rain will spread across Northern Ireland during Friday night before clearing from the west Saturday late morning and early afternoon,” the forecaster said.

"Widely, totals of 20-30mm of rain are possible with the heaviest and most persistent rain expected in the south, and perhaps also east of the country, affecting parts of County Down and Belfast.

"Here 40-60mm is possible in some places with perhaps as much as 20-30mm of this falling in 3 or 4 hours.

"Meanwhile, 70mm may fall over parts of the Mourne Mountains. In the south, wet weather will be accompanied by quite windy conditions, gusts of 40 to 45 mph possible in some coastal parts of County Down during the morning.”

Friday will be generally dry with sunny spells, but the odd shower across the north and west, though mostly in the morning. There will be cloud and outbreaks of rain pushing in from the west in the evening, again, with a maximum temperature of 17 °C.

There will also be bright spells and showers Sunday and Monday, but it will become wet and windy later on Monday.