Met Éireann has warned of potential risk to life after issuing two Status Red warnings for wind, covering five counties, as Storm Debi approaches.
The National forecaster had already issued a Status Orange wind warning for 16 counties, and a Status Yellow wind and rain warning for the entire country.
In the latest update from Met Éireann, issued this afternoon, five counties have been put under Status Red warnings for wind.
The first of these will be in effect from 3:00a.m to 5:00a.m tomorrow morning (Monday, November 13), covering Co. Clare, the east of Co. Galway, and the south of Co. Roscommon.
There will be extremely gusty winds on Sunday night and early Monday due to Storm Debi, with potential danger to life.
Possible impacts in these areas include: damage to exposed and vulnerable structures; disruption to services and transport; significant power outages; and fallen trees or branches.
A second Status Red warning for wind will be in effect from 5:00a.m to 7:00a.m tomorrow morning, covering counties Offaly and Westmeath.
The potential impact of Storm Debi will be the same as experienced during the earlier Status Red warning, again with the potential danger to life.
Before and after these Status Red warnings are in effect, these five counties, along with many others, will be subject to a Status Orange warning for wind.
Met Éireann had already issued a Status Orange wind warning for 16 counties. However, in the latest update, 19 counties will be impacted.
These are:
- Carlow;
- Dublin;
- Kildare;
- Kilkenny;
- Laois;
- Longford;
- Louth;
- Meath;
- Offaly;
- Westmeath;
- Wicklow;
- Cavan;
- Monaghan;
- Clare;
- Kerry;
- Limerick;
- Tipperary;
- Galway;
- Roscommon.
The Status Orange warning will be in place from 2:00a.m until 10:00a.m tomorrow morning.
Met Éireann warned of severe and damaging gusts in these counties.
Possible impacts of Storm Debi in these areas include: damage to exposed and vulnerable structures; dangerous travelling conditions; disruption to services; damage to power lines; and fallen trees or branches.
And before and after a Status Red or Status Orange warning is in place in these 19 counties, these areas will be under a Status Yellow warning for wind and rain – along with the remainder of the country – from midnight tonight (Sunday, November 12), which will remain in place until 3:00p.m tomorrow.
Met Éireann said that tonight and tomorrow will be very windy or stormy due to Storm Debi, with heavy rain expected, and a chance of thunderstorms and hail.
Possible impacts all across the country include: fallen trees or branches; localised flooding, including wave overtopping; and hazardous travelling conditions.
The UK Met Office has issued its equivalent of a Status Yellow warning for wind and rain for all six counties of Northern Ireland.
This warning will come into effect at 3:00a.m tomorrow morning, and will remain in place until 2:00p.m tomorrow afternoon.
The Met Office said that heavy rain and strong winds associated with Storm Debi may bring disruption and flooding to parts of Northern Ireland on Monday.