Only a Third Through Met Éireann List of Named Winter Storms

Rain Stops Play: Micheál Reidy (left) and Thomas Hayes show their displeasure at summer downpoour at No. 4 Tralee Road, Castleisland.  ©Photograph: John Reidy 1983
Rain Stops Play: Micheál Reidy (left) and Thomas Hayes show their displeasure at summer downpoour at No. 4 Tralee Road, Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy 1983

Those of us who think we’ve taken a battering from the storms we’ve had to date this winter had better keep battening down the hatches. We’re less that a third of the way through the named storms which are being ‘given down’ to us.
The naming of these storms is a joint venture between Met Éireann and their counterparts in England. The idea is to create a greater awareness among the public of warnings of potentially damaging storms – and it’s working.

Orange or Red Status
All storms which give rise to ‘Orange’ or ‘Red’ status warnings will be given names. This means that a look at the list yet to go would lead you to believe that there won’t be a bullock left standing by St. Patrick’s Day – to paraphrase the line in The Butcher Boy. And, if they come with the frequency which has been the hallmark of those just gone, then we’re in for a right battering.
The list for this winter season is as follows: Abigail; Barney; Clodagh; Desmond; Eva; Frank – and they’re all gone. Yet to come: Gertrude; Henry; Imogen; Jake; Katie; Lawrence; Mary; Nigel; Orla; Phil; Rhonda; Steve; Tegan; Vernon; and Wendy.
The Met Éireann Forecast for the next few days holds no great hope of a change.
Tonight

It will be cold tonight and while it will be mostly dry at first, a band of heavy showers will push up from the south for a time, and there is a risk of hail and thunder. Showers will become isolated for a time overnight, though more heavy showers will push into southwestern parts by morning. Lowest temperatures of around 2 to 5 degrees, coldest in northern parts, with some frost and icy patches for a time early in the night. Winds will increase overnight becoming fresh to strong southwesterly by morning.
Tomorrow

Windy and cold, tomorrow, Thursday, with the band of heavy showers spreading up from the southwest during the morning and early afternoon, some of the showers will be of hail and some will be thundery. There’s a risk that some of the showers will turn wintry over higher ground later, in northern parts, but the showers will become isolated by evening. Highest temperatures of only 4 to 6 degrees in strong to gale force and gusty southwest to west winds, easing in inland parts later.

Outlook

Headline: Continuing very disturbed with further periods of very heavy rain at times and cold periods as well.

Thursday night: Cold and frosty on New-Year’s Eve night, with showers becoming confined to coastal areas of the west and north and lows of -2 to +2 degrees C but becoming less cold in Munster and parts of south Leinster towards morning.

Friday New Year’s Day: After a dry, bright start in many areas, rain and strong southerly winds will spread northwards during the day with some very heavy falls expected later with some flooding and strong to gale force southeast winds. Afternoon temperatures will range from 5 or 6 degrees Celsius in Ulster to 9 or 10 degrees Celsius near the south coasts. Rain turning showery later Friday night and winds becoming northerly for Saturday.

Saturday:

Cold and showery with some longer spells of rain during the morning especially in southern counties, but brighter in the afternoon with some sunny breaks for a time. Highs of 5 to 8 degrees C. in moderate or fresh northerly winds. Cold and frosty after dark but rain and strengthening southeast winds spreading northwards overnight.

Sunday:

Wet on Sunday morning with heavy rain, but giving way to brighter showery conditions in the afternoon. Afternoon temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees C highest in the south. Showery Sunday night with a risk of some frost in places.

Early days of Next Week:

Cool, breezy and showery on Monday and Tuesday with a more prolonged spell of heavy rain expected Tuesday night and on Wednesday clearing to colder conditions Wednesday night with frost likely.