The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has advised all road users to take “extreme care” with Status Red, Orange and Yellow weather warnings now in place ahead of Storm Debi.
Met Éireann has issued a status red warning for 14 counties for Sunday night and early Monday due to Storm Debi and stressed that there is “potential danger to life”.
A red wind warning is in place for Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, east Galway and south Roscommon from 2:00a.m. until 5:00am tomorrow (Monday, November 13).
The national meteorological service has also issued a status red wind warning for Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Louth, Meath, Wicklow, Offaly and Westmeath.
This is valid from 5:00am to 8:00am tomorrow (Monday, November 13).
Met Éireann has also upgraded an earlier wind warning for Cork, from a Status Yellow wind warning to Status Orange.
It said that there would be an “unusually stormy on Sunday night and Monday due to Storm Debi with severe and damaging gusts”.
This is valid from 1:00a.m. until 4:00a.m. tomorrow (Monday, November 13).
Storm Debi
The RSA has advised road users in areas affected by a Status Red warning “not to travel during the storm window”.
It also said that road users should check local traffic and weather reports “before setting out on a journey once the Status Red warning has passed as storm damage could impact routes”.
The RSA has also issued advice to road users ahead of Storm Debi including that:
- Drivers need to slow down and allow a greater braking distance between themselves and the vehicle in front in wet weather conditions;
- Take special care when driving behind goods vehicles, as they generate a considerable amount of spray, which reduces your visibility;
- If the road ahead is flooded, choose another route. Do not attempt to drive through it;
- Road users should always follow recommended routes and obey signs closing roads to traffic that have been put there by the local council or An Garda Síochána;
- After going through water, drive slowly with your foot on the brake pedal for a short distance;
- Be Safe. Be Seen. Drive with dipped headlights at all times;
- Watch out for falling or fallen debris on the road and vehicles veering across the road.
Northern Ireland
Separately the UK Met Office has issued Status Yellow and Amber rain and wind warnings for Northern Ireland and warned that “heavy rain and strong winds associated with Storm Debi may bring disruption and flooding to parts of Northern Ireland on Monday”.
It has said the Status Yellow alert will be in place from 3.00a.m. until 2pm tomorrow (Monday, November 13).