A 'nasty storm' with hurricane force winds is set to narrowly avoid Ireland this week as it is expected to pass over the north of the country.
Winds with speeds of up to 128km/h (80mph) are forecast to batter parts of Scotland on Tuesday, according to the UK Met Office.
However, weather expert Alan O'Reilly said the storm will not be making landfall in Ireland.
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Posting on Carlow Weather Twitter account, he wrote: "Nasty storm forecast to hit parts of Scotland Tuesday night but that high to the South of us keeping us out of the firing line this week."
Meanwhile, the weather forecast for this week is expected to bring mixed conditions and will be breezy at times but overall it will bring mostly dry weather.
On Monday morning it will be mainly dry with bright or sunny spells though some showers will affect Ulster and north Leinster and there will be outbreaks of light rain and drizzle in the late morning and early afternoon. Highest temperatures of 7C to 10C with light to moderate westerly winds.
Tuesday will see sunny spells along with scattered showers, mainly affecting the north and west, with largely dry conditions elsewhere. Highest temperatures of 6C to 9C but feeling cooler in fresh and gusty westerly winds that will be strong in the north and west.
On Tuesday night there will be some sleet possible on high ground with some fresh and gusty westerly winds that will be strong at times in the north and west and temperatures of 3C to 7C.
However, this comes Ireland could see its first named storm of the season in the coming weeks.
Met Eireann has pinpointed the week of Bank Holiday Monday, February 6 to Sunday, February 12 as the exact date brutal winds and torrential rain could strike.
In its long range forecast, which it issues to give insight into weather patterns for the month ahead, the meteorological service warned “cyclone centres may pass close to Ireland” during this week.
It says the current high pressure, which has been keeping the weather somewhat normal for this time of year, may lose its influence in this period and low pressure could take hold.
This means unsettled fronts of wet and windy weather could move in from the Atlantic with “higher than normal rainfall expected”.
The national forecaster has also refused to rule out weather warnings saying they “are possible during this period”.
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