Winds in excess of 100 km/h have already begun to batter the country on Sunday as warnings for 21 counties in Ireland and Northern Ireland came into effect.

The first signs of spring arriving in Northern Ireland have been short-lived, with the latest weather warning for strong winds in effect after yesterday’s mild temperatures and sunshine.

Gusts of up to 70mph are on the way for some areas, forecasters said. A yellow alert is in place into Sunday afternoon, amid warnings the strong gusts could cause disruption. Many places across Northern Ireland woke up on Saturday to sunshine and warmer weather.

Dramatic maps show exactly where more than 2,000 lightning strikes have raced across the UK in the wake of Met Office weather warnings issued for dozens of areas

MET Eireann have warned of a “blustery” day with “heavy rain” set to fall over the coming days ahead of a stormy weekend. The weather bosses have issued a Status Yellow