Met Éireann issues orange rain warnings for six counties ahead of Storm Austen
Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow face warnings of flooding and difficult travel, with a nationwide yellow warning also in place.
Met Éireann has issued orange rain warnings for six counties in the Republic of Ireland ahead of Storm Austen on Thursday night and Friday morning. Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow face forecasts of flooding and difficult travel, while a nationwide yellow warning covers wind and rain. The orange warnings raise the level of concern for those six counties as the storm approaches.
When Storm Austen’s orange warnings apply
The orange warning for Cork, Kerry and Waterford runs from 10pm Thursday until 5am Friday, according to a PA report published by the Evening Standard. The warning for Dublin, Wexford and Wicklow runs from 2am until 8am Friday. Those periods put the first group of counties under warning overnight, followed by the second group in the early morning.
Met Éireann expects flooding under the orange warnings, with very difficult travelling conditions and disruption to public transport, the PA report said. These are forecast impacts: the warnings do not mean flooding or disruption has already happened. The warnings give residents and travellers the periods when those risks are expected to be greatest.
Nationwide warning and the storm’s track
The nationwide yellow warning is in force from 7pm Thursday until 10am Friday, according to both BBC News NI and the PA report. Met Éireann expects heavy rain to spread eastwards across Ireland. Under the wider warning, it also flagged possible impacts on outdoor events, localised flooding and some fallen trees as easterly winds turn north-westerly and strengthen, particularly in the south and southeast.
Met Éireann deputy head of forecasts Aoife Kealy told The Irish Times that the storm was developing over the Atlantic with help from a strong jet stream. She said small changes in its track could substantially alter where the worst weather falls on Thursday night and Friday, making it difficult to identify one area as the likely worst hit. She said the strongest winds were expected in the UK.
The Irish Times had reported a nationwide yellow rain warning before the orange warnings were reported. Its earlier account gave an 8am Friday end time for that warning; the later BBC and PA reports give 10am for the nationwide yellow warning covering rain and wind. In Northern Ireland, where BBC News NI reported no warning, rain was expected on Thursday night before clearing east on Friday morning.
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Sources and context
- Weather: Irish weather warning ahead of Storm AustenBBC News NI
- Storm Austen powers towards Ireland as weather warnings issued for Wednesday and ThursdayThe Irish Times
- Flooding and ‘intense rain’ expected in Ireland for Storm AustenEvening Standard (PA report)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.