Storm Amy: Fresh warnings issued with gale force winds to hit Ireland

Thu, 02 Oct, 2025 - 14:02

Steven Heaney and David Kent

Multiple status orange and status yellow rain and wind warnings have been issued by Met Éireann as Storm Amy, the first named storm of the new storm season, hits Ireland.

The worst of the storm will be seen on Friday, with two warnings issued, but three warnings are currently in place for Thursday.

Co Kerry is under a status orange rain warning until 8pm on Thursday, with the county set to see heavy spells of rain. The county can expect to see flooding and very difficult travelling conditions.

A status yellow rain warning is also in place for the rest of Munster, Connacht, Cavan, Donegal, and Longford. The yellow warning is for “widespread rain”, localised flooding, and difficult travel conditions across affected areas. The warning will remain in effect until 8pm on Thursday.

Connacht is also under a status yellow thunderstorm warning, which will be in place until 2pm, bringing the possibility of lightning damage.

On Friday, the country is expected to see the worst impacts of Storm Amy, with Met Éireann issuing both status orange and yellow warnings.

A status orange wind warning for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, and Sligo will be in place from 2pm on Friday until 10pm. Met Éireann is warning of "near gale force to gale force and very gusty southwest to west winds".

The impacts include:

Fallen trees;
Damage to power lines and possible power outages;
Very difficult travelling conditions;
Possible wave overtopping.

Meanwhile, a status yellow wind warning will be in place from midday on Friday for a 12-hour period for the entire country.

According to Met Éireann, the storm will bring “strong to near gale force and gusty southwesterly winds” nationwide on Friday, creating hazardous travel conditions, displaced debris and loose objects, and a risk of uprooted or fallen trees in some areas.

The weather is only set to improve marginally over the weekend. The winds are forecast to remain gusty through to Saturday, though the rainfall is expected to ease somewhat. Into next week, Met Éireann said current indications suggest that it will remain unsettled with further spells of rain.

A status red marine warning has also been issued for Friday from Loop Head to Rossan Point to Fair Head, with Met Éireann saying winds "may reach violent storm force 11 at times". The storm warning is in place from 2pm until 8pm.

On Saturday, a status yellow wind warning for Clare, Kerry, Galway, and Mayo will be in place while Donegal, Leitrim, and Sligo will be under a status yellow wind and rain warning. Both warnings come into effect at midnight and will remain in place until midday.

A third warning for Saturday will see a status yellow wind warning for Dublin, Louth, and Wicklow come into place at 6am and remain until midday.

Speaking about Storm Amy, meteorologist Ailís Hankinson said: "It is the first storm of the season, so it’s essential to be prepared for potential impacts caused by the strong winds and the rain. There could be difficult travelling conditions, loose objects or flying debris.

"Trees are still in leaf at this time of the year, so there could be higher impacts from fallen trees and leaves blocking drains, causing localised flooding. Small, upland river catchments are the most at risk of flooding, so precautions for potential localised flooding in these areas are also important.

The forecaster says the warnings are likely to be updated “as certainty increases," noting that the wind warnings could be extended into Saturday for parts of the north west.

Impacts of the storm will include:

Localised flooding, the heavy rain will fall on already saturated grounds, with river levels increasing. Smaller upland catchments in the South-West and West are at the greatest risk of flooding, as mountainous areas are currently forecasted to see the greater rainfall accumulations.
Difficult or dangerous travelling conditions
Debris, displaced objects
Fallen trees
Surface water flooding, as the ground is saturated countrywide. Trees are in leaf at the moment so fallen leaves and other debris may block drains and small rivers, increasing the risk of surface water flooding.
Isolated spray overtopping: even if we’re in a period of neap tides, strong onshore winds and significant waves from Storm Amy may cause isolated spray overtopping at times of high tide along the West coast.