LAST UPDATE | 22 Jan
A SECOND STORM is heading towards Ireland tomorrow evening as around 68,000 homes, farms and businesses remain without power across the country as a result of Storm Isha.
Isha ripped across the country yesterday, bringing intense rain and strong winds, especially in western counties.
Status Red warnings were in effect for Mayo, Galway and Donegal last night, while the rest of the country was covered by a Status Orange weather warning.
Now, Met Éireann is forecasting that Storm Jocelyn will track to the northwest of Ireland tomorrow, bringing strong and gusty winds.
All remaining weather warnings in counties Clare, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo – where a Status Yellow rain and thunderstorm warning were in effect – have since ceased.
Tomorrow, a Status Orange wind warning will be in place for Donegal from 8pm until 2am on Wednesday, while another Status Orange wind warning will be in place for Galway and Mayo between 6pm and midnight.
A number of Status Yellow warnings will be in place, too.
ESB Networks has said the worst impacted counties in Storm Isha were in the north-west.
As of 8.45pm, around 68,000 homes, farms and business were without power, down from 190,000 at 1oam and the peak of 235,000 who were without power in the immediate aftermath of Storm Isha.
In the North, around 17,000 customers are without power this evening.
The ESB said all its available resources, along with contractors, will bee working into this evening and tonight to safely restore poweer to as many customers as possible.
It said that the weather warnings associated with Storm Jocelyn “may hamper” restoration efforts in areas affected most by Storm Isha.
The ESB said due to the damage to the electricity network, “many customers will remain without power tonight, while some customers will be without power for a number of days”.
The areas where customers will remain without supply overnight are predominantly in the north-west, including Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo.
“It is important that any impacted customers who use electrically powered medical devices contact their healthcare professional to make alternative arrangements if necessary,” the ESB said.
“We apologise for the disruption to family and commercial life this causes, and thank customers across the country, especially those who will be without power overnight, for their patience as our crews work to safely restore power.”
There are 11 water supply schemes around the country currently experiencing water disruption as a result of the storm. This is impacting around 35,000 people nationwide.
The majority of the impacted plants are in the north-west of the country and parts of the south-east are also experiencing disruption.
Uisce Éireann said it is continuing to monitor the greater Dublin area following record demand for water in recent days. It said there has been a significant increase in bursts around the region and there may be some localised disruption as repairs are carried out.
“Uisce Éireann continues to work closely with local authorities, the ESB and other partners to address any impact on water supplies due to Storm Isha,” Uisce Éireann’s head of operations Tom Cuddy said.
“For areas where supplies have been impacted, our crews are on the ground working to restore production as soon as it is possible. Alternative power supplies and generators have been deployed in some locations to get plants back into production while we are also liaising closely with the ESB to prioritise the restoration of power to plants affected by electricity outages,” Cuddy said.
He said where power has been restore or repairs have been carried out, “it may take a number of hours for normal supply to return to all customers, particularly those in elevated areas or at the ends of the network”.
Tomorrow will be wet and windy as Storm Jocelyn tracks to the northwest of Ireland, according to Met Éireann.
The forecaster expects that “very strong and gusty southwesterly winds will develop through the day, with the strongest winds in the west and northwest”.
There will be widespread rain during tomorrow morning and afternoon, followed by scattered showers in the evening.
Highest temperatures will reach around 10 to 14 degrees Celsius.
Along with the Status Orange wind warnings in Donegal, Galway and Mayo, a number of Status Yellow warnings will be in place tomorrow.
A Status Yellow wind warning will be in place for Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo between 12pm tomorrow and 5pm on Wendesday.
Another Status Yellow wind warning will be in place for Clare, Kerry, Galway and Mayo between 12pm tomorrow and 2am on Wednesday.
All of Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford and Roscommon will be under a Status Yellow wind warning from 5pm tomorrow until 2am on Wednesday.
The UK’s Met Office has issued a Yellow wind warning for the six Northern Irish counties which will be in place between 4pm tomorrow and 1pm on Wednesday.
Additional reporting by Lauren Boland and Eoghan Dalton
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