Met Éireann has issued a status yellow weather warning with Storm Barra expected to hit Ireland within 48 hours.
The storm, named on Sunday, is expected to impact the island on Tuesday and Wednesday with strong winds and heavy rain forecast.
The national forecaster said further weather warnings are expected to follow the current status yellow wind warning.
“Through Tuesday and for a time on Wednesday, an Atlantic depression named Storm Barra will bring very strong winds and spells of heavy rain across Ireland,” Met Éireann said.
“Winds will be strongest in western coastal counties with severe or damaging gusts possible. Heavy rain will bring localised flooding. There will also be high waves at sea and a significant possibility of coastal flooding on south and west coasts.”
Met Éireann name #StormBarra to impact Ireland on Tuesday and Wednesday https://t.co/KLL68Nn8FQ pic.twitter.com/ujzYVkdzoV
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) December 5, 2021
The wind warning for all of Ireland will take effect at 6am on Tuesday and remain in force until 6am on Wednesday. The UK Met Office has also issued a status yellow wind warning for Northern Ireland on Tuesday.
On Friday, Met Éireann meteorologists said “wintry precipitation” could fall on Tuesday night and Wednesday amid the wet and windy weather, potentially leading to travel disruptions.
As Storm Barra brings gales across much of Ireland during Tuesday, the winds will be accompanied by spells of heavy rain.
There is potential for some of the showers to fall as sleet or snow on high ground, as colder air wrapping around the depression centre is pulled over Ireland on Wednesday.
