Storm Ellen: Status Orange Alert as counties face ‘severe winds’

Met Éireann has issued a Status Orange wind warning for seven coastal counties as Storm Ellen moves across the country from Wednesday night

They said the storm would bring severe and potentially damaging winds for Galway, Mayo, Clare, Limerick, Kerry, Cork and Waterford and with it heavy rain and a risk of localised flooding.

The Status Orange wind warning is valid from 9pm tomorrow evening until noon on Thursday.

“Storm Ellen will track over Ireland on Wednesday night and during Thursday bringing a period of severe and potentially damaging winds,” according to Met Eireann. “There will be heavy rain, which will also bring a risk of flooding.

“Due to the combination of storm surge, spring tides and onshore winds, there is a potential risk of coastal flooding.”

Wednesday

#StormEllen pic.twitter.com/fSNGOVMQPK

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) August 18, 2020

A Status Yellow warning was issued for all 26 counties earlier on Tuesday by Met Éireann, which remains in place from 9pm tomorrow and lasts for all of Thursday.

“Severe gusts are likely and there is a risk of some disruption.”

“Wind warnings are in effect for Wednesday night when very windy or stormy conditions are expected to develop,” the national forecaster continued. “Another spell of persistent and locally heavy rain will develop in the south and southwest coastal areas in the evening or early night. Turning very windy or stormy early on Wednesday night.”

The UK Met Office has also issued a yellow wind warning for counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry, from 8pm on Wednesday evening until midnight on Thursday.

Strong winds are expected to cause some disruption to travel and power supplies on Thursday.

Main photograph: Unsplash

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