Very wet and windy weather is set to hit the country overnight as Storm Aiden sweeps in from the Atlantic.
Met Éireann has issued orange and yellow weather warnings for strong winds and gardaí are advising against all unnecessary travel in the areas most at risk.
A status orange wind warning is in place from 5am until 10am on Saturday for Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Cork, Kerry and Waterford.
Storm Aiden will bring winds averaging 65 to 80km/h, with possible severe and damaging gusts of 100 to 130km/h.
A separate orange wind warning for Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Clare will be in place from 8am to 4pm on Saturday.
The rest of the country is also at risk of severe and possibly damaging gusts, with a status yellow wind warning in place from 1am until 4pm on Saturday.
The UK Met Office has issued a yellow wind warning for Northern Ireland valid from 6am to 9pm.
Water vapour satellite imagery from the NOAA Goes-East Satellite shows Storm Aiden brewing to the west of Iberia this afternoon. For more information check out our updated Forecaster comments. https://t.co/ktXtWjbfIg pic.twitter.com/I7SaB5ofuJ
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) October 30, 2020
Road conditions will potentially be "even more hazardous" in the conditions due to recent heavy rainfall, the Road Safety Authority said.
Motorists and road users in areas affected by the orange warnings for strong winds are advised to check local traffic and weather conditions before setting out on a journey.
The RSA has issued a number of tips for drivers, including:
- If a road is flooded, chose another route, do not attempt to drive through it.
- 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.
- 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.
Advice has also been issued for pedestrians, cyclist 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.
