Storm Aileen sweeps in bringing 110kmh winds
STORM Aileen – the first named storm of the year – was expected to churn up gusts of more than 110kmh as it swept across the country last night.
The early arrival of the first mid-Atlantic cyclone of the season prompted Met Éireann to issue two status yellow weather warnings.
A yellow wind warning was in effect from 2pm to 11pm last night for Munster province as well as counties Dublin, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow and Galway.
A band of very strong winds was already being tracked at Galway around 7pm last night and was expected to bring gusts of 90-110kmh to south and south-western coastal counties before turning north-westerly and slamming the east coast later last night.
However, the winds will be short-lived as Aileen blasts her way over the Irish Sea this morning.
“It will be very windy tonight but it’s a very fast moving system,” Met Éireann forecaster Liz Walsh said yesterday.
A yellow rainfall warning was also issued yesterday for the west coast, with heavy rain with local thundery bursts forecast for counties Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo.
The warning went into effect at 2pm yesterday until 2pm today.
Ms Walsh said the early arrival of the first autumn storm can be attributed in part to Hurricane Irma due to warm tropical air “driving a strong jet stream”.