Status Orange Warning for Offaly as 'serious' Storm Eowyn to bring 130km/h gusts

Damaging gusts of wind with a speed of 130km/h and heavy rains are expected in Offaly and all across Ireland this Friday as a Status Orange Warning has been issued.

Storm Éowyn is forecast to be a deep low-pressure system, currently set to track to the northwest of Ireland introducing strong southeasterly winds which will veer west to south-westerly and intensify through Friday morning bringing severe, damaging and destructive winds.

The system will also bring spells of heavy rain across different parts of the country and sleet and snow to parts of the west and north in particular.

Potential impacts include: 

• Fallen trees
  
• Damage to power lines and power outages
  
• Structural damage
  
• Very difficult travelling conditions
  
• Disruption and cancellations to transport

The warning is valid from 2am on Friday morning to 5pm Friday evening.

Today

Lingering mist and fog will clear from most areas today but may be stubborn to clear from parts of the north and northeast. Most parts of the country will be dry with a mix of cloud and sunny spells with just well scattered light showers. Highest temperatures of 4 to 9 degrees, coldest where fog lingers with mostly light southwest or variable breezes.

Rather cold overnight with some areas of fog and a slight frost in place. Later in the night, southerly winds will freshen clearing any fog and frost as outbreaks of rain arrive along the Atlantic seaboard. Lowest temperatures of 1 to 4 degrees.

READ NEXT: STORM EOWYN: Track the path of powerful Storm Eowyn as it bears down on Ireland

Thursday

Thursday will be a blustery day as a band of squally and possibly thundery rain pushes eastwards across the country during the morning. Sunny spells and showers will follow from the west through the afternoon, some heavy with hail and isolated thunderstorms. Cool with highest temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees with fresh and gusty southerly winds, veering westerly.

Becoming very stormy on Thursday night. Largely dry early on Thursday night with clear spells and perhaps a touch of frost. However, outbreaks of rain will move in quickly from the Atlantic, extending across much of Munster and Connacht before midnight, before spreading nationwide.

The rain will turn to sleet and snow for a time in Connacht and Ulster with the potential for some temporary accumulations causing hazardous travelling conditions. Turning very windy with strong to gale force southeast winds, veering southerly overnight. It will turn extremely windy by dawn on Friday. Lowest temperatures of zero to +4 degrees.

Friday

The centre of Storm Eowyn will track just off the northwest coast on Friday morning with a swathe of extremely strong and damaging winds extending across the country bringing disruption. Gale Force southwest winds over land, will veer westerly by afternoon with Storm Force winds likely in some coastal areas.

There'll be scattered squally showers and more persistent rain is likely across the north of the country. Showers will turn increasingly wintry as the day progresses. Maximum afternoon temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees but feeling much colder due to the wind-chill factor.

On Friday night, winds will begin to abate but it will stay rather blustery. A cold night with clear spells and scattered showers, some wintry. Lowest temperatures of -2 to +3 degrees with some frost possible towards dawn on Saturday as winds continue to ease.

Saturday

A cold and frosty start on Saturday with sunny spells and a few wintry showers in the northwest. Later in the morning, an organised band of showers will push in from the Atlantic and extent eastwards across the country giving some wintry falls.

Maximum temperatures of 3 to 8 degrees in moderate to fresh southwest winds. Cold and frosty on Saturday night with lowest temperatures of -3 to +2 degrees.

Sunday

It looks set to turn wet and windy on Sunday with outbreaks of rain spreading from the south. Maximum temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees in strong and gusty south to southeast winds with gales at the coast.