Orange alerts have been issued for eight counties in the south of the country as Storm Agnes makes landfall.
From 7 a.m., a yellow wind alert took effect in Munster and Leinster, joined by a yellow alert for rain covering Carlow, Dublin, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Cork, Kerry and Waterford.
Both of these warnings will remain in place until midnight.
Slightly later, from 9 am two orange alerts will also commence.
A wind warning has been issued for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone & Derry ⚠️#StormAgnes will bring a spell of strong winds ??
⏲️Valid: 12:00 Wednesday 27/09 to 07:00 Thursday 28/09
More here ?https://t.co/Xg3aMJlyuShttps://t.co/BFu6qGik8M pic.twitter.com/YDboRjV3f7
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) September 26, 2023
An orange rain warning for Cork, Kerry and Waterford will remain in place until 3pm, while a similar warning for wind will cover Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Cork, Kerry, Tipperary and Waterford up to 5pm.
Met Éireann said Storm Agnes will bring "very strong and gusty southerly winds, with some severe and damaging gusts".
The AROME model showing the forecast rainfall for #StormAgnes also. It shows potential for some very heavy rain and local strong gusts in the East as squall feature shows. These are hard to forecast but can result in sudden and local damaging winds. pic.twitter.com/eBJJHkEOId
— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) September 26, 2023
There will also be heavy and occasionally intense spells of rain in the affected counties.
In addition to poor visibility and difficult travel conditions, the forecaster warned of potential localised and coastal flooding, while strong winds may lead to power outages and fallen trees in parts.
The UK Met Office has also issued a yellow wind warning for the six counties, lasting from midday on Wednesday to 7am on Thursday.
Storm and gale warnings will also be in place for much of Wednesday, with the south coast covered by an orange warning from 9am to 7pm.
A further yellow gale warning for all Irish coast and the Irish Sea will also be in place from 7am to midnight.
Muireann Duffy
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