Met Éireann warns 'worst storm of winter' on the way

Met Éireann has warned that the worst storm of the winter will hit Ireland tomorrow afternoon and night with high winds and unusually…

Met Éireann has warned that the worst storm of the winter will hit Ireland tomorrow afternoon and night with high winds and unusually high spring tides causing flooding in the west.

Gusts of wind are expected to reach between 80 and 100 m.p.h. in the north and west of the country, with gusts of 70 to 80 mph. expected elsewhere.

Weather similar to that which caused severe flooding in Cork and Waterford last October could hit the Shannon estuary area tomorrow, a Met Éireann spokesman said.

Motorists need to be particularly vigilant to avoid flooded areas on roads but particularly near rivers. Swift water will carry cars and other vehicles away
Mr John Leech, Irish Water Safety

Duty forecaster Mr Pat Clarke told ireland.comthat a "very deep Atlantic storm was developing to the west of the country".

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He said the storm would get worse during the second-half of tomorrow with the worst of the weather arriving at nightfall.

Mr Clarke said there would be safety implications for those travelling, particularly tomorrow night, with trees falling on some routes. He added that the high winds could cause structural damage to buildings.

The Chief Executive of Irish Water Safety, Mr John Leech, has today warned about the increased risk to the public in such flood conditions. He warned that fast-moving water can exert pressure of up to four times its speed against the legs of someone attempting to cross it.

"Never put one's feet down if swept away in floodwater, because foot and body entrapments and pinning are the leading cause of accidental death in rivers," Mr Leech warned.

"Motorists need to be particularly vigilant to avoid flooded areas on roads but particularly near rivers. Swift water will carry cars and other vehicles away."

Last night, high winds caused 23 planes to be diverted from Dublin Airport to Shannon and Belfast. A spokeswoman for the Dublin Airport Authority said 13 planes were diverted to Shannon and 10 to Belfast. Normal services have now resumed.

Severe floods in Longford forced the closure of part of the Dublin-Sligo railway line between Longford and Edgeworthstown. The line will not reopen until tomorrow.

Roads were closed in Clare, Kerry, Monaghan and Galway. A diversion has been put in place in the village of Craughwell, which has been badly affected.

Storms affected most of the country on Friday, leading to large-scale flooding and felled trees, particularly in the midlands, west and north-west.

Winds of 82 m.p.h. on New Year's Day caused two stationary aircraft to hit each other at Dublin Airport; ripped part of the roof from the National Aquatic Centre in Blanchardstown, west Dublin; and caused extensive damage to homes in north and west Dublin.

Meanwhile, the rail line between Longford and Dromod on the Dublin to Sligo railway line has reopened after flood waters receded.

The line had been closed since yesterday morning after flooding caused by the Camolin River bursting its banks. A spokesman for Iarnród Éireann said this evening's 6.15 p.m. train from Connolly Station in Dublin to Sligo and the 6 p.m. Sligo to Connolly train would operate normally, although at reduced speed through the affected section until water levels have receded further.
 
The company apologised to customers for the disruption the flooding had caused.