WEATHER WARNING: Met Éireann Status Orange and Yellow warnings for Storm Hannah

Met Éireann has issued Status Orange and Yellow weather warnings and named Storm Hannah which is expected to bring severe gales to Ireland on Friday night.

A Status Orange wind warning has been issued for Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick with gusts of 110 to 130 km/h expected from 4 pm on Friday to 5 am on Saturday.

LATEST UPDATE: Met Éireann forecaster says Storm Hannah winds could dip into Status Red territory

A Status Yellow wind warning for Connacht, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly, Donegal, Tipperary and Waterford has also been issued.

'Becoming very windy on Friday night and for a time on Saturday morning. Southerly winds will veer northwesterly and reach mean speeds of 50-65km/h with gusts of 90 to 110 km/h'. This is valid from 11 pm on Friday to 9 am on Saturday. 

MORE: Potential damaging tree falls and power cuts during Storm Hannah

A Status Yellow weather advisory for potential stormy conditions is also in place for Cork and Kerry from 6 pm on Friday to 6 am on Saturday. 

Status Orange - Wind warning for Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick

Valid: Friday 26 April 2019 16:00 to Saturday 27 April 2019 05:00 pic.twitter.com/kxklPySnY8

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) April 25, 2019

Status Yellow - Wind warning for Connacht, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly, Donegal, Tipperary and Waterford

Valid: Friday 26 April 2019 23:00 to Saturday 27 April 2019 09:00 pic.twitter.com/8Xb8ugGR4N

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) April 25, 2019

Met Éireann forecaster Gerry Murphy told RTÉ's Morning Ireland that Storm Hannah will hit on Friday evening bringing 'stormy' and 'very windy' weather. The strongest winds are expected in Cork, Kerry and Clare but also moving across the whole country. 

He said the weather is 'unsettled' at the moment, showers in the east on Thursday morning are expected to spread west across the country throughout the day getting heavy and possibly bringing 'hail and some thundery showers' later in the day.

Friday will be mostly cloudy with rain in the morning and persistent rain in the afternoon and evening. Friday evening will see the arrival of Storm Hannah which will hit with the strongest winds in coastal areas but also bringing wind through all areas, according to the Met Éireann forecaster.

#StormHannah has been named by @MetEireann. The storm will bring severe gales to Ireland on Friday night, with strong winds also expected for southern parts of the UK pic.twitter.com/esuddjvNyP

— Met Office (@metoffice) April 25, 2019

Met Eireann warned earlier this week in an advisory that with many trees now in leaf, this system has the potential to result in trees down leading to power outages and dangerous driving conditions.

A Yellow Stormy Weather Warning ⚠️ is in place from @MetEireann for the South West of Ireland from Friday into Saturday this week. Check and keep up-to-date with weather warnings at https://t.co/l6TBUsMidX

— OEP (@emergencyIE) April 25, 2019