A status red wind warning for County Cork has been put in place from 9pm to midnight tonight.
Those in campsites or caravans have been urged to seek shelter following the warning that Storm Ellen “will produce a core of very severe and destructive winds”.
Status red warning for Cork
For all current warnings see here :https://t.co/ozrQHtoOkt pic.twitter.com/gmGf5RZS8x
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) August 19, 2020
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, Acting Director of Services and Roads with Cork County Council Jim Molloy said:
‘Many who are on campsites are not local to the area and are not familiar with the conditions and storm force gales that we are exposed to in southwest Cork.’
Earlier Met Eireann warned of coastal flooding risks due to the combination of storm surge, spring tides and onshore winds.
#StormEllen will produce severe impacts in place this evening & tonight.
Mild & cloudy,rain at times. Highs of 17 to 20C.
Very windy or stormy conditions spreading from the south this evening with damaging gusts.
This satellite animation shows the development of #StormEllen. pic.twitter.com/5xVZLuZi7M— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) August 19, 2020
Meanwhile the HSE have advised that people keep up to speed with the advice of local authorities and keep phones charged in case of emergency.
A status orange warning is currently in place for the rest of Munster as well as Galway and Mayo, with a yellow warning in place across the rest of the country.
Speaking earlier, Head of forecasting Evelyn Cusack said: “Ellen is forecast to move over the southwest of Ireland Wednesday evening, tracking northwards over the country during Wednesday night and daytime Thursday.
“Gusts generally of 80 to 100km/h can be expected and potentially gusts may exceed 130km/h in some exposed coastal and mountain locations and some lower locations due to funnelling effects…With trees in full leaf and peak numbers on holidays in Ireland, impacts could be significant with damaging winds, heavy rain, and large waves along the coast.
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