Storm Eunice: Status Orange warning issued for Munster counties
A combination of high tide and strong winds will lead to flooding on exposed coasts.
A Status Orange wind warning is in place for several counties in Munster this Friday as Storm Eunice is set to bring ferocious winds, coastal flooding and potential blizzards.
Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Waterford are covered by the warning which comes into effect at 5am on Friday.
The warning, which is in place until 11am Friday morning, has also been issued for Galway and Wexford.
Storm Eunice is expected to track over Ireland on Thursday night following a lull in stormy conditions brought by Storm Dudley, bringing "severe and potentially damaging winds" of up to 130km/h.
A Status Yellow Wind, Rain and Snow warning has also been issued for the entire country for Friday, coming into effect at 1am that morning and lasting until 3pm.
A Status Orange Gale and Storm Force Warning for all Irish coastal waters and the Irish Sea will to come into effect after midnight on Friday, remaining in place until 9pm Friday evening.
Commenting on Thursday night's forecast, Met Éireann said that "while there are still some uncertainty in the finer details on the exact track of Storm Eunice it will be wet and potentially very windy, especially over the south of the country where there could be some severe gusts".
In their latest weather advisory, the forecaster stated that Storm Eunice "has the potential to be a multi-hazard and disruptive event with damaging winds, heavy rain and snow possible.”
Strongest winds are set to affect southern counties, while snowfall can be expected in central and northern parts with the risk of blizzards.
Met Éireann meteorologist Matthew Martin, said: “We’re keeping a very close eye on the forecast for Friday as Storm Eunice is expected to bring some challenging weather conditions, especially on Friday morning as strong winds, heavy rain and snow moves across the country.
“At the moment it looks like northern and western areas are most likely to see the heaviest snow falls, with southern areas expected to see the strongest winds, however we’re still a few days ahead and the details of when and where are likely to change."
He added that the national forecaster is urging the public to "keep a very close eye on the forecast and warnings for their area as these may change in the coming days”.
Meanwhile, a nationwide Status Yellow wind warning is in place until 11.30pm tonight as Storm Dudley barrels down on Ireland.
High wind speeds have already resulted in flights being diverted across the country. Cork Airport-bound KLM flight KL-1085 first diverted to Dublin where the Embraer E190 jet had to abort its first landing attempt as winds reached 87 k/hr.
The flight climbed again and positioned for another approach before landing safely on the second attempt.
Meanwhile, Ryanair flight FR-9853 from Gatwick Airport to Cork was forced to divert to Shannon after spending over 30 minutes in a holding pattern north of Cork Airport.
Met Éireann is warning of “damaging gusts of 80 to 110km/h, stronger on exposed coasts and on high ground”.
“A combination of high tide and strong winds will lead to flooding on exposed coasts,” it was added, with high tide expected at 5pm to 5.30pm.
In Munster, showery outbreaks of heavy rain will extend from the west and track eastwards bringing a risk of spot flooding.
"West to southwest winds will increase strong and very gusty, reaching gale force or strong gale on exposed coasts with some coastal flooding possible," stated the national forecaster.
Blustery showers will continue overnight in southern counties, easing towards the morning but becoming strong again on Thursday when we can expect "good sunny spells along with scattered showers of rain, hail, sleet and snow".
In Northern Ireland, a Status Orange weather warning has been established by the UK Met Office for Antrim and Derry and will be in place until midnight.
The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) Crisis Management Team has met with Met Éireann and other relevant agencies in preparation for the storms.
Further meetings and updates are expected in the coming days, with it urged to keep an eye on Met Éireann for the latest weather alerts.
The RNLI is urging the public to use extreme caution around the coasts, while the Road Safety Authority has appealed to road-users to be careful on the roads over the coming days.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner this week, leading climatologist Professor John Sweeney explained that while these storms are “characteristic of this time of year”, similar events will happen more often at all times of the year in the future due to climate change.
“Both of those storms are typical winter storms rather than anything exceptional that has come from a wayward hurricane offshore,” Professor Sweeney said.
“The first one is due to travel to the north of Ireland, but I'd be more concerned with the one that's due towards the weekend which seems to be located further south.” He added that Storm Dudley is set to linger over Ireland for a full tidal cycle, resulting in a risk of coastal flooding.
Professor Sweeney said that rising sea levels are “compounding” the problem, explaining: “Storms may be more hazardous because the waves are coming from that slightly higher platform and therefore enhanced coastal erosion and enhanced flooding may well be a problem”.
Check out the Irish Examiner's WEATHER CENTRE for regularly updated short and long range forecasts wherever you are.
