Orange wind warnings issued across 10 counties

Ellen O'Donoghue

An orange wind warning has been issued for 10 counties across the country over the coming days.

Met Éireann issued status orange wind warnings for counties Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow, as Storm Darragh is set to hit.

The storm, named by the UK Met Office, is expected to move east across Ireland and the UK from the Atlantic on Friday night and into Saturday.

A status yellow wind warning had previously been issued for the counties of Clare, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo from 1pm to 4pm on Thursday, but that has been extended to 9pm.

Co Kerry will also be under a status yellow wind warning from midday Thursday until 6pm.

The orange warning first comes into effect for the counties of Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Leitrim, Sligo and Donegal, starting at 10pm on Friday until 9am on Saturday.

The counties of Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow will also be under a status orange wind warning from midnight on Saturday until 9am.

An amber wind warning will be in effect for Northern Ireland from 3am until 9pm on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Clare, Connacht, Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Longford, Louth, Meath, and Westmeath will be under a status yellow rain warning from 10am on Friday until 10am on Saturday.

A status yellow wind warning will be in effect across the Republic from 3pm Friday until 3pm Saturday.

Counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry will be under a status yellow wind warning from 3pm Thursday until 3am Friday, and again from 3pm Friday until 6am Sunday.

The six counties will also have a status yellow rain warning in effect from 3pm Friday until midday on Saturday.

Met Éireann have said potential impacts of the wind warnings include fallen trees, loose debris damage to power lines, very difficult travelling conditions, damage to temporary structures and wave overtopping.

Potential impacts of the yellow rain warnings include localised flooding, poor visibility, and difficult travelling conditions.

Storm Darragh is expected to bring very strong and gusty south to southwest winds throughout the storms duration, alongside heavy rain on Friday followed by heavy showers on Saturday morning.