Met Éireann issues three weather warnings as Storm Eva approaches

Latest: Minister of State for the OPW Simon Harris says a permanent flood relief scheme will be put in place in Ballinasloe in Co Galway.

Update 9pm: Minister of State for the OPW Simon Harris says a permanent flood relief scheme will be put in place in Ballinasloe in Co Galway.

The town was one of those affected by high water levels in the wake of Storm Desmond.

Some flood defences have been implemented in the town.

Update 2.55pm: Limerick City and County Council has said it is installing flood defences in the Limerick city area as a precautionary measure ahead of expected high tides and heavy rainfall during the Christmas period.

The local authority says the flood risk, which it described as low at present, is the result of a combination of high tides between December 24 and 28 on the Shannon Estuary and up to Limerick City.

There is also the possiblity of strong winds, low atmospheric pressure and higher than average rainfall for the coming days.

Meanwhile, the ESB has confirmed its decision to maintain the spill rate at Parteen Weir at 335 cubic metres per second (cumecs).

Water levels along the Lower River Shannon are continuing to drop from their peak level of Sunday.

Earlier: Ireland has been placed on alert this afternoon as a new storm front approaches.

Met Eireann have named this low for Wednesday evening #Eva Impacts on the UK are not expected to be large. Alex D pic.twitter.com/oRuCZGpLGl

— BBC Weather (@bbcweather) December 22, 2015

Not long after Storm Desmond contributed to widespread flooding across the country, the national weather service has now warned that Storm Eva is on the way.

A Status Orange wind warning was issued for Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Clare at midday today.

It has warned of southerly winds veering southwest, gusting up to 110km/h, with stronger gusts of up to 120km/h at times between 4-9pm.

Storm Eva is born. Orange Alert in place for western counties for second half of Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/4iztwHYIaV

— Irish Weather Online (@iweatheronline) December 22, 2015

A Status Yellow wind warning has been issued for Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim, Roscommon, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford.

“Southerly winds of mean speeds of 60-65km/h gusting 100-110km/h expected Wednesday evening and early Wednesday night,” according to Met Éireann.

A third warning, a Status Yellow weather advisory for Donegal, Galway, Mayo and Clare, was also issued.

It states: “A developing storm is expected to track to the west and northwest of Ireland later Wednesday and Wednesday night and will bring some severe winds to coastal counties of the west and northwest of Ireland.

“This storm has been named Eva, as there is an Orange Status wind warning in operation for counties Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal.”

All warnings remain valid from 1pm today until midnight on Wednesday, December 23.