LAST UPDATE | 22 May 2020

AROUND 7,900 HOMES, farms and businesses have been left without power as warnings of strong winds continue throughout the day. 

A Status Yellow wind warning is in place for the entire country after a warning for a number of western counties was issued yesterday.  

The wind warning remains in place in all areas until 9pm tonight with Met Éireann saying that gusts of up to 100-110 km/h could be felt in places.

The ESB has said 7,900 homes, farms and businesses are without power at the moment due to the powerful winds sweeping the country. Earlier today, 12,000 were left without power.

This includes about 700 customers in the Dublin area. ESB workers are trying to restore power in the affected areas with estimates it will be back by this evening. 

“The damage is mainly attributed to trees, now in full leaf, causing damage in the high winds,” ESB Networks said in a statement.  

Met Éireann has warned that these strong winds will continue today with “damaging gusts” expected. 

Coastal areas and exposed hills and mountains could see some of the strongest gusts. 

“Continuing very windy countrywide for the rest of today with strong, very blustery southwest winds giving some damaging gusts,” Met Éireann has said. 

Met Éiearann had previously described the winds as “unseasonable” and warned that:

Given the time of year, there is potential for wind-related impacts such as debris from trees and movement of unsecured outdoor items. 

AA Roadwatch is also urging motorists that “pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and high-sided vehicles are most likely to be blown off-course in high winds”.

In Galway city, St Helen’s Street is closed after a chimney at the Old Connacht Laundry Site collapsed. Emergency services are at the scene but nobody is believed to have been injured in the incident. 

Meanwhile, widespread heavy showers or longer spells of rain also with sunny spells are being predicted. 

Temperatures will be cool with highs of between 12 to 16 degrees.

- With reporting by Rónán Duffy and Orla Dwyer