Tag Archives: Met Éireann

Clare County Council has issued a severe weather alert after being advised by Met Éireann of the possibility of some very intensive rainfall bursts over short periods between this Friday afternoon and midnight on Sunday night, October 19. Coastal and elevated areas are most at risk. Localised flooding is a distinct possibility and people who have previously experienced flooding situations are advised to take appropriate precautions over the weekend.

The Road Safety Authority is advising drivers and motorcycle riders to take extra care using the roads, as the dry weather spell breaks and heavy rain is expected across the country over the coming days. During a prolonged dry spell a build-up of oil and rubber deposit develops on the road. When the weather breaks, this deposit mixes with rainwater and the road becomes hazardous. The resulting greasy road surface increases stopping distances and the risk of a skid. Drivers and motorcycle riders can get caught out by this change in road conditions so the advice is to slow down and increase braking distance. Met Eireann are also warning that accumulations of rain water may lead to excess surface water on roads and some spot-flooding in places.

As the State exams drew to a close this week, Met Éireann issued a status yellow ‘high temperature warning’ for County Clare, with temperatures on Wednesday reaching between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius. According to Met Éireann, the maximum temperature recorded at the Shannon Airport weather station on Tuesday was 25.8 degrees Celsius. By midday on Wednesday, temperatures had already reached 24 degrees and the warm weather is forecast to remain into the weekend, with Thursday, Friday and Saturday to each hit 20 degrees, though there will be some cloud cover. This is not just good news for those out enjoying the fine weather but also for businesses here. “In Lahinch, every car parking space was filled,” Michael Vaughan, owner of Vaughan Lodge and former president of the Irish Hotels Federation, said on Wednesday afternoon. “I see people parked on verges and the beach is thronged, so there are plenty of visitors to the area but I am not certain …

THE month of January saw a huge amount of rainfall at Shannon, Met Éireann figures show. While the amount of rainfall was above average everywhere, at few weather stations was it as extreme as Shannon, where it was 72% above average. Temperatures were very much in line with what is to be expected, while the amount of sunshine was slightly above normal.

WIND gusts of up to 130 kilometres per hour could hit County Clare this Wednesday, Met Éireann has warned. The forecaster predicts that sustained westerly winds will be between 60 and 70 kilometres per hour, and that seas will be high throughout this afternoon. Aer Lingus has cancelled a number of inbound and outbound services from Shannon Airport as a result of adverse weather.Intending passengers are advised to contact their airlines. A status orange weather warning is in place for Clare, along with Mayo, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Wexford, while the most serious warning, a status red alert, has been issued for Cork and Kerry. Tonight will be cold, with occasional showers, with some hail, sleet and snow in places. Lowest temperatures will zero or -1 C., with frost and icy patches also. It will be windy for a time but the blustery westerly winds will moderate further later on.  

COUNTY Clare is once again counting the cost of storm and flood damage after the spring tides brought their expected fall-out in many coastal areas on St Bridget’s Day. A  Met Éireann weather warning remains in place for this Saturday night. Many road were impassable this morning, while thousands of homes, mainly in  North and Mid-Clare, were left without power. The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre remains closed all day due to hazardous conditions there. Things came to a head about 6 o’clock this morning, when the sea surged in at Lahinch Promenade and Quilty, while the Strandline wall in Kilkee  was  also damaged. This time round, Killimer and Moyasta were badly affected along the estuary. Flooding also occurred at Clarecastle bridge, as well as on the road at Bunratty. The river at the Black Weir Bridge, near the Clare Inn, burst its banks, while the main Ennis to Kildysart Road, at Ballicorrick also flooded. Further flooding has been reported in …

THE National Coordination Group met today to review the response to date, to assess the impact of the storms on infrastructure and communities and to ensure that the response of relevant goverment agencies and local authorities continues to be coordinated. Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Brian Hayes was among the attendance. Met Éireann reported that Ireland has been subject to a sequence of Atlantic storms since December 18, resulting in extreme wind conditions, episodes of heavy rainfall and lately storm surges associated with high tides and low pressure atmospheric conditions. It was noted that the new Met Éireann colour-coded weather warnings (red, orange and yellow) issued in accordance with the international meteo-alarm system was of assistance to the public, as well as to Government departments, local authorities, utilities and transport sector in understanding the threats posed by the weather situations. Safety messages had been responded to well by the public but, regrettably, one fatality was attributed to …

MOTORISTS  have been cautioned by AA Roadwatch to exercise extreme care amid many incidents of flooding and excess surface water across many counties. Most of the flooding had receded by Monday afternoon when the rain gave way to bright sunshine but there cannot be any complacency in winter driving conditions. With more heavy rain forecast, AA Roadwatch advised motorists coming across floods not to drive through water unless certain it’s  not too deep for their car. The New Year looks like it will get off to a wet start, as a heavy band of rain is expected on Wednesday, Met Éireann said. There will be some respite on  New Year’s Eve, as the night looks like being mainly dry . However there will be showers is some southern and western coasts. By morning on New Year’s Day, heavy rain is expected for Munster and is forecast to spread to all areas early in the day . Met Éireann forecast that the …