Storm Debi: Possibility of school closures as Red Warning issued for five counties, Met Éireann warns of ‘potential danger to life’
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Storm Debi will bring “severe and damaging gusts” which may cause “potential danger to life”The national forecaster has issued a Status Red wind warning for five countiesCyclonic variable winds will potentially reach storm force 10 on Irish coastal waters and the Irish SeaPossibility schools will close in some of the affected counties on Monday morning – with decisions to be made on a local level by individual school management
The powerful Storm Debi will sweep across Ireland on Sunday night and into Monday morning as Met Éireann warn that it will be “extremely gusty on Sunday night and early Monday due to Storm Debi with potential danger to life”.
The five counties that have been put under a red warning are Clare, [east] Galway, [south] Roscommon, Offaly and Westmeath. This warning comes into effect from 3am Monday morning and will last until at least 5am.
There is a possibility schools will close in some of the affected counties on Monday with the red warning expiring just hours before children are due in classes, but a spokesperson from the INTO told the Irish Independent that there has, as of yet, been no advisory notice from the Department of Education in relation to closures.
“Individuals schools may assess the situation Monday morning locally and make a call,” the spokesperson said.
The ASTI also confirmed that decisions on school closures are “made on a local level by individual school management”.
Storm Debi will likely bring:
“A status red severe weather warning is rarely issued but when it is, people in the areas expected to be affected should take action to protect themselves and/or their properties,” Met Éireann’s explanation of the highest level warning states.
Ahead of the impact of Storm Debi tonight, the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) are expected to meet this afternoon in preparation for the arrival of the severe storm.
The national forecaster has issued a Status Orange wind warning for 11 counties including: Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Wicklow, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary.
The warning comes into effect from 2am on Monday until midday on Monday afternoon.
A Status Yellow wind and rain warning will also come into effect for every county in Ireland from midnight tonight until 3pm on Monday afternoon.
“Very windy or stormy on Sunday night and Monday due to Storm Debi, accompanied by heavy rain with a chance of embedded thunderstorms and hail,” Met Éireann stressed.
Possible impacts of the Status Yellow wind and rain warning include the potential for fallen trees and branches, localised flooding and wave overtopping as well as “hazardous travelling conditions.”
A Status Yellow rain warning also comes into effect for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Tyrone and Derry in Northern Ireland, following communication from the Met Office in the UK.
“Heavy rain is likely to affect parts of Northern Ireland during Monday bringing disruption to travel,” the warning stresses, which lasts from 3am tonight until 2pm on Monday afternoon.
Two Status Orange marine storm warnings have also been issued by Met Éireann. The first is from Mizen Head to Valentia to Slyne Head from 1am on Monday until 6am the same day.
The second is from Belfast Lough to Carlingford Lough to Wicklow Head and on the Irish Sea, starting at 5am on Monday until 2pm in the afternoon.
Winds for these warnings will reach storm force 10, potentially reaching speeds of up to 102kph.
A Status Yellow gale warning is also due to come into effect for all coasts of Ireland and the Irish sea from 1am tonight until 5pm Monday evening.
“Cyclonic variable winds will reach gale force 8 or strong gale force 9, potentially storm force 10, overnight and during Monday, on Irish coastal waters and the Irish Sea,” Met Éireann warned.
This week
Monday will begin very windy or even stormy with further thundery rain in places. Some further severe or damaging gusts are possible, as the gale force warning comes into effect.
Highest temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees.
Monday night will bring clear spells and blustery heavy showers, mainly affecting Atlantic counties, with lowest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees.
It will be blustery on Tuesday with sunny spells and widespread heavy showers with the best of the drier brighter spells across the southeast and east.
Highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees in fresh and gusty westerly winds. The winds will ease overnight with showers confined to the northwest. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees.
“Current indications suggest it will be mostly dry with sunny spells and calmer winds on Wednesday. Highest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees,” Met Éireann said.
Sunny spells and scattered showers are expected on Thursday – most of which will affect Atlantic counties. Quite breezy with highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees.
The weather is expected to be unsettled for the remainder of next week, Met Éireann added.
More to follow…
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