LAST UPDATE | 25 Apr 2019

STORM HANNAH IS expected to bring strong winds on Friday night with a Status Orange wind warning in place for Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Clare. 

The storm has been officially named by Met Éireann with the forecaster saying it will be “very windy or stormy in Munster and Connacht, especially in coastal areas with very strong, gusty west to northwest winds”.

Strong gusts will extend to all areas throughout the night and rain will clear eastwards.

Met Éireann has issued a Status Orange wind warning for Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Clare that will begin from 4pm on Friday and continue until 5am on Saturday morning.

A Status Yellow wind warning is in place for Connacht, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly, Donegal, Tipperary and Waterford from 11pm tomorrow until 9am on Saturday:

Becoming very windy on Friday night and for a time on Saturday morning. Southerly winds will veer northwesterly and reach mean speeds of 50-65km/h with gusts of 90 to 110 km/h.

Ahead of the arrival of the stormy conditions on Friday night, the afternoon is expected to be mostly cloudy with rain over Leinster and Munster. 

Today is expected to be mainly dry in the morning with showers and longer spells of rain the developing in the east and south.

The RSA is reminding road users to be careful on roads, and asking people to check local weather and traffic conditions and be aware of the conditions before setting out on a trip.

The RSA has the following advice for road users:

• Beware of objects being blown out onto the road. Expect the unexpected.
• Watch out for falling/fallen debris on the road and vehicles veering across the road.
• Control of a vehicle may be affected by strong crosswinds. High sided vehicles and motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable to strong winds.
• Drivers should allow extra space allow between themselves and vulnerable road users such as cyclists and motorcyclists as they may be blown off course by strong winds.
• Drive with dipped headlights at all times.

It’s also advising pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists:

• 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, not in the street. Walk on the right hand side of the road, facing traffic if there are no footpaths.

- with reporting from Gráinne Ní Aodha