Sunday night saw a nationwide orange level thunderstorm warning in place for the entire country, with dramatic lightning striking across the country.
The intense weather brought an end to the glorious sunshine the country basked for the entirety of last week as the heatwave has now officially been declared as behind us.
Incredible photos and videos were captured across the country showing the extent of the lightning.
This incredible photo was taken by Kilkenny man Richard Dwyer in the Loughboy area of the city.
Richard captured the shot using his Canon 6D with a 24-105 Sigma lens.
Lightning in Kilkenny last night. Photo - Richard Dwyer
Hello from Ardee, County Louth in the loony weather psycho nation of Ireland..where the sky has gone crazy apeshit BONKERS tonight!! #lightning pic.twitter.com/khSMmMglwg
— Thomas Walsh (@ThomasWalsh1) August 14, 2022
Lightning captured near Tramore tonight by Jimmy Coffey.
Heatwave comes to an end with a bang as forecast. pic.twitter.com/8KctBZN05A— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) August 14, 2022
Wow!!! Big bolts!#lightning #Ireland #Thunderstorm pic.twitter.com/LnRBo46Yfa
— Mark Gibbons (@Mark_Gibbons1) August 14, 2022
Some pictures from tonight’s lightning here in Lismore #Thunderstorm #thunder #lightning #rain #ireland pic.twitter.com/x2iKufCSeo
— Will Cunningham (@wobbly7) August 14, 2022
Double CG lightning captured from Mullaghmore, Sligo overlooking Donegal Bay last night captured by Noel Keating Photography
Myself and Noel met up last night and with in minutes of arriving on location we had our first sparks. #thunderstorm #ireland #weather #sligo pic.twitter.com/V7xtCq8uOx— Donegal Weather Channel (@DonegalWeatherC) August 15, 2022
Further lightning forecast
A status orange thunderstorm warning remains in place for Munster, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Kildare, Wicklow and Dublin until 10pm tonight.
Met Éireann is warning that heavy downpours could lead to flooding in places.
Unsettled weather is being forecast for the week ahead.
“It’s going to be quite unsettled with rain and showers at times over the next few days, as temperatures gradually return to closer to the average for August,” Met Éireann has said.
Met Éireann forecasts:
"Scattered thundery showers for the rest of this morning, heaviest in the south and east, bringing a continued risk of flooding. The thunderstorms will become more intense later this afternoon and evening. Temperatures this afternoon will return closer to average, ranging from 15 to 17 degrees in the north and west, and between 18 and 23 degrees elsewhere. Light to moderate northerly winds will increase fresh to strong along Atlantic coasts."
Tonight will be a cooler night than what has been experienced in recent night with lowest temperatures of 10 to 14 degrees. Showers will gradually die out in the south to leave a mostly dry night with clear spells.
Tomorrow is expected to be cooler and cloudy with scattered shower. Highest temperatures are forecast to be 15 to 19 degrees, with the mildest of the weather expected in the south.
