Update
Sunday, 9.23am – Flooding in the Parnell St. Carpark in Ennis has receded. The area, prone to severe flooding prior to flood relief works, was submerged for a time overnight however it appears local businesses have not been seriously affected.
Saturday, 9.58pm – Most areas affected by electricity outages earlier have now had their power restored. Around 70 homes in the Inch area should have their power back by 11.00pm.
Saturday, 6.45pm – Fire crews from all Clare’s seven stations have been dealing with incidents across the county. Personnel from Kilkee and Kilrush stations have attended buildings reported to be in a dangerous condition following high winds.
Firefighters from Killaloe and Scarriff stations responded to a report of tree down in the Killaloe area.
Ennistymon crews had been dealing with cables that were knocked down during the storm while fire service personnel from Shannon and Ennis have also been attending incidents involving trees. Shannon crews made safe a tree that had fallen on the N18 dual-carriageway near Hurlers Cross while members from Ennis station assist their Shannon colleagues with another incident in Ballycasey.
Saturday, 3.30pm – Two plate glass windows crashed onto a footpath and street in Kilrush this afternoon. Fortunately no one was walking by at the time and staff from two local pubs were quick to clear glass and other debris from the roadway. There were also concerns about the condition of the roof.
Saturday, 3.28pm – The ESB has restored power to homes and businesses in Lahinch however a number of other outages have occurred in areas including Connolly, Ennistymon and Lisdoonvarna.
Saturday, 2.55pm – Ryanair flight FR-4776 from Manchester to Shannon has been forced to divert to Belfast International Airport as winds at Shannon were reported to be outside safety limits. Winds at the airport were gusting to 54 knots (100 km/h) in the past hour.
Saturday, 1.56pm – Over 500 homes are without power in the Lahinch area this afternoon. The ESB says it could be 7.45pm today before power is restored.
Saturday, 1.50pm – Clare County Council is urging the public to stay indoors and to avoid all travel during the red weather warning today which is forecast to end at 3.00pm. The Red Warning will be followed by an Orange wind warning which will remain in effect up until 3.00am on Sunday morning. The public are advised to remain cautious during the orange warning also.
The Irish Coast Guard strongly advises the public to stay away from exposed beaches, cliffs and piers along the coast during storm conditions.
Clare County Council’s Crisis Management Team continue to meet over the weekend. Clare County Council crews will commence any clear-up operations once the Red Level warning period has expired. Motorists are advised to drive with extreme caution during and after the wind warnings as debris on the roads is expected.
Emergency Contacts :
Fire & Rescue: 999 or 112
ESB – 1850372999
Clare County Council Emergency Number – (087) 4169496
Friday, 6.02pm – Clare County Council is asking members of the public to stay indoors and to avoid all travel from 1.00pm to 4.00pm tomorrow Saturday after Met Éireann issued a Red Level warning for County Clare.
Clare County Council is urging the public not to travel during the Red Level warning period (1.00 to 4.00pm Saturday). Organisers of events scheduled to take place during the red warning in County Clare are being advised to postpone events in the interests of public safety.
Clare County Council’s Crisis Management Team will continue to meet over the weekend. Clare County Council crews will commence any clear-up operations once the Red Level warning period has expired. Motorists are advised to drive with extreme caution during and after the wind warnings as debris on the roads is expected.
Friday, 5.40pm – Management at the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience (CoMVE) have warned against visiting the attraction between 1pm and 4pm on Saturday as conditions will be extremely dangerous.
The CoMVE will be closed all day on Saturday.
In the interest of safety, entry is not advised to Dromore Woods Nature Reserve or Burren National Park for the duration of the warning.
Friday, 4.50pm – Met Éireann has upgraded the wind warning for Clare to Status Red. The original Status Orange warning remains in place until 6.00am on Sunday.
Forecasters are warning of very severe winds associated with Storm Jorge on Saturday.
Westerly winds will reach mean speeds of 85 to 100km/h in places on Saturday afternoon with gusts of 130 to 145km/h, with an elevated risk of coastal flooding.
The warning is valid from 1.00pm to 4.00pm on Saturday.
Earlier: A Status Orange wind warning for four counties including Clare has been issued by Met Éireann.
Some severe winds are expected during Saturday associated with Storm Jorge which has been named by Spanish met service.
Southwest winds quickly veering west and later northwest will reach mean speeds of 65 to 80km/h with gusts of 110 to 130km/h, possibly higher in very exposed areas with an elevated risk of coastal flooding.
The warning, issued today, will be valid from 06.00am Saturday to 3.00am on Sunday.
Members of the public should exercise caution in coast areas while motorists are advised to be aware of the dangers of flooding, fallen trees and other debris.
Road users in areas affected by the Orange Warnings are advised to check local traffic and weather conditions before setting out on a journey.
The following advice is being given to road users. Motorists:
- Control of a vehicle may be affected by strong cross winds. High sided vehicles and motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable to strong winds.
- Beware of objects being blown onto the road. Expect road conditions to change quickly in high winds so reduce your speed.
- Watch out for falling/fallen debris on the road and vehicles veering across the road.
- Drivers should allow extra space between themselves and vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and motorcyclists as they may be blown off course by strong winds.
- Drivers need to slow down in wet weather conditions, especially on high speed roads such as dual carriageways and motorways where there is increased danger of aquaplaning.
If the road ahead is flooded choose another route, do not attempt to drive through it. Flooded roads that appear shallow could be deeper than you think. They may also have trees or branches that have fallen that may not be visible.
Road users should always follow recommended routes and obey signs closing roads to traffic.
After going through water, drive slowly with your foot on the brake pedal for a short distance – this helps to dry the brakes.
Drive with dipped headlights at all times.
Advice to Pedestrians, Cyclists and motorcyclists:
- Visibility and light is reduced in poor weather conditions. Keep safe by making sure you can be seen. Wear bright clothing with reflective armbands or a reflective belt.
- Take extra care when crossing the road or cycling in extremely windy conditions as a sudden gust of wind could blow you into the path of an oncoming vehicle.
- Walk on a footpath, where possible and not in the street. If there is a footpath and it is safe to use, look out for falling debris from above, especially in urban areas.
- Walk on the right-hand side of the road, facing traffic if there are no footpaths.
- Cyclist should ensure that they and their bike are visible to other road users by investing in a good set of front and rear lights (white at the front, red at the back) and by wearing clothes that help you be seen on your bike such as bright and light reflective items.
For advice on severe weather driving tips, please see severe weather advice on the RSA website or check out the RSA Facebook and Twitter pages.
Please also see our severe weather warning videos created in collaboration with Teresa Mannion here. See advice with advice for driving in strong winds here.
For more weather updates, visit Met Eireann’s website: www.met.ie