ESCAPE FROM WRATH OF KATH
Fallen trees and thousands left without power but most areas lucky to avoid f loods or damage
GUSTS of more than 110kph were recorded yesterday as Storm Kathleen made landfall, bringing down trees, affecting flights and leaving tens of thousands without power.
While the wrath of Kath didn’t quite materialise for parts of the country, the west and south took a battering early in the day and winds picked up again in the southeast and northwest last night.
Counties Mayo and Galway, where an orange wind warning remained in place until 6pm yesterday, and Co. Cork, Co. Kerry and Co. Waterford, where a similar warning remained in place until 2pm yesterday, were worst affected. However, fallen trees were reported as far east as Kildare and Dublin.
Around 34,000 customers were without electricity at one stage of the afternoon, though ESB said they expected to have most or all back up by this morning.
Some flights and ferries were cancelled while other planes were left circling, awaiting a chance to land.
Videos posted online showed some flights almost touching down at Dublin airport, before having to take off again, due to the unsafe conditions.
And the wind caused wave overtopping at Lough Funshinagh in Co. Roscommon, with at least one house flooded. Met Éireann expects another windy day today, with fresh to strong and gusty southwest winds and gales on western and northwestern coasts at times. And blustery showers with sunny spells are forecast to move northeastwards throughout the day, with the possibility of some heavy showers. The wind is expected to ease off later this evening.
Met Éireann is forecasting another unsettled week of blustery conditions and some heavy rain.
Rain is expected to develop in the south tonight and spread northwards towards morning.
Southern counties can expect heavy rain at times tonight, with the possibility of some spot flooding.
Tomorrow will be wet, with Met Éireann forecasting widespread outbreaks of rain. It will be particularly heavy in the east and south with localised flooding possible.
Tuesday will be breezy with some sunny spells and scattered showers, with some heavy showers possible.
And another wet day is forecast for Wednesday, with rain spreading from the west and the ‘potential’ for some heavy downpours. Temperatures will climb to as high as 15C.
Kathleen is one of seven storms to be named by Met Éireann for the 2023 – 2024 list.