Council urges public to stay indoors during Red Wind Warning this evening

A Status Red Wind Warning has been issued by Met Eireann and will be in effect in Mayo from 5pm until 9pm this evening, Sunday, January 21.

The public are being urged to stay indoors for the duration of the red level alert and stay away from all coastal areas for the duration.

Storm Isha will bring extremely strong and gusty southwest winds with severe and destructive gusts, particularly in coastal and exposed areas.

The potential impacts of the red level warning which comes into effect at 5pm this evening includes extremely high winds between 6pm and 7pm, along with possible storm surges and wave overtopping along the coast during high tide between 3pm and 3am.

Rainfall of up to 35mm is expected along with localised flooding as a result. All road users should be aware of the potential for hazardous travelling conditions.

Motorists should slow down and be aware of the dangers of fallen trees and debris. High sided vehicles, cyclists and motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable during this time.

It is critical that people never ever touch or approach fallen wires, stay safe and stay clear of fallen or damage electricity wires, and contact ESB Networks at 1800 372 999. Use the PowerCheck App to check for reconnection times.

Please exercise extreme caution during this period and take action to protect yourself and your property. Ensure any items left outdoors are stored away or securely tied down. Please avoid any unnecessary travel and stay indoors. A further Status Orange Wind Warning will be in effect until from 4pm today until 3am tomorrow, Monday January 22.

The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) called a National Emergency Coordination Group meeting today with Met Éireann, the OPW, the local authorities, principal response agencies, key Departments and responding national organisations to prepare for Storm Isha which is expected to impact Ireland, particularly the west coast, from 5pm this evening and into the early hours of Monday (January 22).

Met Éireann advised that a Status Red Wind Warning has been issued for Galway and Mayo from 5pm to 9pm this evening and also for Donegal between 9pm this evening and 1am tomorrow morning. This storm will bring with it severe and damaging gusts, potential coastal flooding with high waves and coastal overtopping, treacherous travelling conditions, the potential for localised flooding and the risk of significant and widespread power outages for these counties.

Status Orange Wind Warnings have been issued for the entire country from 4pm today until 2am tomorrow morning, again with the potential for large waves in coastal areas (with wave overtopping), high winds, potential for localised flooding, very difficult travelling conditions, fallen trees and damage to power lines.

The latest Met Éireann forecasts and warnings are available at the following links:

https://www.met.ie/ and https://www.met.ie/warnings/tomorrow

Speaking after the meeting, Paul Rock, Senior Assistant Fire Adviser in the NDFEM advised the public: “Given the challenging wind conditions expected, I would urge members of the public to stay away from all coastal areas for the duration of the Met Éireann warnings.

“Travel in counties under a red warning is not advised until the alert has finished. Furthermore, all road users should only travel where necessary and be aware of the potential for hazardous travelling conditions. Motorists should slow down and be aware of the dangers of fallen trees and debris. High sided vehicles, cyclists and motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable during this time.

“Everybody is encouraged to keep mobile phones charged and at hand in case of emergencies and to check for updates where necessary.

“We will continue to monitor the ongoing weather conditions and ensure that all relevant state bodies are responding speedily and appropriately to meet any challenges. I would advise everybody to monitor national and local media, including social media, over the course of this evening and tomorrow to keep up to date with information regarding the developing weather situation.

“Above all, make sure you stay safe and keep in touch with vulnerable or elderly neighbours.”