Hundreds without power in Cork as Storm Bella lashes Ireland

High winds drive storm vaves ashore at Lahinch Co Clare as Storm Bella approaches. Picture: Press 22

Hundreds of homes in Co Cork are without power as Storm Bella impacts Ireland. 

According to RTÉ and referencing ESB's PowerCheck website, power outages have been reported in Dunmanway and Curraleigh with 872 homes affected. 

The majority of power outages in other parts of the country are reported across the west of Ireland in Co Mayo and in the Munster counties of Kerry and Clare. 

Two status yellow warnings for the entire country are currently in effect.

Met Éireann has warned that strong winds and heavy rain associated with Storm Bella will cause disruption for all of Ireland.

A wind warning came into effect at 3pm today, where westerly winds are expected to reach mean speeds of 50 to 65km/h with gusts of 90 to 110km/h.

Both warnings come into effect at 3pm. File picture

Gusts will be higher at times near the west coast.

Met Éireann warned: “With the combination of strong winds, high waves and forecasted storm surge, there is a risk of coastal flooding along the west coast.” 

The warning will remain in place until 4am on Sunday.

A status yellow rain warning also came into effect at 3pm today.

Met Éireann said that the “heavy rain” associated with the storm “will move southwards over Ireland and may cause localised flooding in some areas”.

Like the wind warning, it will remain in place until 4am on Sunday.

Snow and ice

Tomorrow, there is a snow and ice warning for two counties.

Met Éireann warned: “Wintry showers during Sunday with some accumulations possible. Risk of icy stretches on untreated surfaces.” 

The warning will last from 6am until 8pm on Sunday.

The UK Met Office has also issued a number of warnings for counties in the North.

There is a status yellow wind and rain warning in place for Antrim, Armagh, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry.

The warning came into effect at 1pm today and is in place until 10pm.

Two separate snow and ice warning has also been issued for the six counties in the North.

Both are Status Yellow warnings, and the first comes into effect at 3am on Sunday and will last until 3pm.

The second snow and ice warning comes into effect at 6pm tomorrow and will be in place until 10am on Sunday.


The UK Met Office warned: “An area of rain, sleet and snow will move south through Sunday night with the potential for icy surfaces and some travel disruption.”

Outook

Sunday is expected to be a mixed bag for Ireland. 

Met Éireann said that tomorrow “a very cold and blustery day with sunny spells and showers, some of sleet, snow or hail”.

Rain will continue into the evening but it “will be followed by largely dry and clear conditions overnight, although scattered showers will persist in the northwest and west”.

Monday is expected to be “cold with widespread showers”.

As evening falls it will stay “cold and blustery with a mix of clear spells and scattered showers, turning wintry on higher ground”.