Strong winds and low temperatures expected this weekend as Storm Hannah hits

Strong winds are expected to hit Ireland over the weekend, with Met Eireann choosing to name the weather system Storm Hannah.

Weather forecasters have warned of gusts of up to 80mph (130km/h) and low temperatures “more like January” this weekend, with Storm Hannah expected to hit Ireland .

The UK Met Office said on Thursday that its Irish partner had chosen to name the storm, which is expected to bring strong gales to Ireland on Friday night.

#StormHannah has been named by @MetEireann. The storm will bring severe gales to Ireland on Friday night, with strong winds also expected for southern parts of the UK pic.twitter.com/esuddjvNyP

— Met Office (@metoffice) April 25, 2019

Met Eireann issued a Status Yellow advisory for Cork and Kerry, warning there would be "potential for stormy conditions for the southwest later on Friday and early Saturday".

Gusts will reach up to 130 kilometres an hour in those areas.

Forecasters are predicting “very disturbed and unsettled” weather conditions, with the potential for stormy conditions in the south west of Ireland on Friday.

Met Eireann's Matthew Martin said the conditions are expected to be severe.

He said: "With the strong winds expected there could be some falling debris, which could bring down power lines and cause some dangerous driving conditions."

On Thursday, a status yellow wind warning was issued for Connacht, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly, Donegal, Tipperary and Waterford, running from 11pm on Friday to 9am on Saturday.

More weather warnings associated with the storm are expected to follow later this morning.

Status Yellow - Wind warning for Connacht, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly, Donegal, Tipperary and Waterford

Valid: Friday 26 April 2019 23:00 to Saturday 27 April 2019 09:00 pic.twitter.com/8Xb8ugGR4N

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) April 25, 2019

UK Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said that the system will affect Ireland most significantly.

He said that going through the evening, the low pressure system would cross into parts of Ireland, affecting western parts.

Status Orange - Wind warning for Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick

Valid: Friday 26 April 2019 16:00 to Saturday 27 April 2019 05:00 pic.twitter.com/kxklPySnY8

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) April 25, 2019

Additional reporting by PA