July was the hottest ever in Ireland but as August began and torrential thunderstorms lashed the West Coast of the country it all seemed a distant memory.

There were even questions as to whether the Galway Races, the major racing festival, could go ahead, after torrential rains lashed the track.

The appalling weather came after Met Eireann stated that July had been the hottest since weather records began 120 years ago.

Shannon Airport had its hottest ever July averaging over 70 degrees.

That all seemed in the far past as The European Storm Forecast Experiment (ESTOFEX) cited a 'level one' threat of extreme conditions, issued alongside the national forecaster Met Eireann's yellow weather warning.

Road Safety Authority (RSA) chief executive Noel Brett told drivers to slow down and keep a safe distance from other vehicles.

'The changeable weather that's being forecast for the coming days will present some very challenging road conditions for road users,' Mr Brett said.

'As visibility is greatly reduced while traveling in heavy rain remember to allow extra time to complete your journey.'

The west and north of the country are expected to get the worst of the predicted downpours and flash floods.

Last week some areas of Dublin experienced extensive flood damage, with the landmark department store Clerys forced to close its doors for days after parts of its roof fell through.

It's a stark contrast from last month. July was the hottest month in more than a century, and the hottest month in parts of the country since records began in 1869.

The fiesta is well and truly over for the time being however, with the final bank holiday of the summer looking like a much more traditional washout.