Storm Lilian: Met Éireann warning with drivers and commuters at risk

Storm Lilian has caused Met Éireann to issue a special weather commentary on the storm's impact with a message alerting drivers and commuters with warnings due to the potential for danger caused by the storm.

With Status Yellow warnings issued, the forecaster says the storm will have damaging weather wind and rain impacts.

Met Éireann Forecaster Brandon Creagh outlined the impacts of the wind.

“The centre of the low-pressure system is expected to track across the middle of country tonight, bringing unseasonably strong and gusty south to southwest winds which will veer west to northwest as the system tracks eastwards.

"The strongest of the winds will occur overnight but with the trees still in full leaf, people need to be careful of debris or branches on the roads tomorrow morning,” he said.

Gale warnings are also in effect in eastern and southern sea areas.

As for rain Met Éireann says this system, which was named by the UK Met Office, will also bring heavy rainfall over a short time period. It says the models show the likelihood of exceeding 20mm accumulations over six hours overnight.

The forecaster says the potential impacts from this heavy rainfall include localised flooding and difficult travelling conditions.

A Status Yellow wind warning is in place for Munster, Wexford, Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Kildare, Dublin. It warns of unseasonably strong and gusty south to southwest winds veering west to northwest.

Potential Impacts:

• Some fallen trees
• Debris, loose objects displaced
• Power outages
• Wave over-topping

The alert is valid from 00:00 to 6am Friday.

A Status Yellow rain warning is in place for Clare, Galway, Roscommon, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath. 

It says heavy rain will spread northeastward through Thursday and into Friday with potential impacts:

• Localised flooding
• Difficult travelling conditions

It is valid from 10am Thursday to 4am Friday. MORE BELOW X POST.

⚠️Status Yellow - Wind warning for Munster, Kilkenny, Carlow, Laois, Wexford, Wicklow⚠️

Unseasonably strong and gusty south to southwest winds veering west to northwest will coincide with very high tides.️

Valid: 00:00 to 06:00 Friday 23/08/2024https://t.co/t2JoveRUyC pic.twitter.com/Gg7TiyQ6Nw

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) August 22, 2024

Storm Lilian is the first named storm to hit Ireland since April when Kathleen caused extensive damage. It is the 12th weather system of the 2023/24 season that's been given storm status by Met Éireann and its forecasting partners in Britain and the Netherlands.

Lilian Bland, who was an Anglo-Irish journalist and pioneer aviator. She was the first woman in Ireland to build and fly an aircraft, and quite possibly the world’s first woman to build her own airplane, the Bland Mayfly.

The main impacts associated with Storm Lilian will be felt across the UK in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

Met Éireann National Forecast issued at 3.42pm on August 22 below x post:

#StormLilian has been named and is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the UK tonight and on Friday morning

Stay #weatheraware pic.twitter.com/o7CazOHWQE

— Met Office (@metoffice) August 22, 2024

Thursday NIGHT:
Fairly widespread rain early tonight with some heavy falls will lead to spot flooding in places. It'll turn very windy for a time in parts of the south and east overnight, with strong to gale force and gusty southerly winds developing, gradually veering west to northwest and decreasing fresh to strong. Winds will be lighter further north. The rain will clear northeastwards from most parts overnight. Lowest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees.

Friday: Mix of sunny spells and showers. The showers will be mainly in the west at first, but they'll spread elsewhere in the afternoon, and some of them will be heavy with isolated thunderstorms and the chance of hail, especially in the west and north. Highest temperatures of 14 to 18 degrees. Light to moderate westerly winds will increase moderate to fresh southwest in the afternoon increasing strong and gusty near western and southwestern coasts later.

Showers or longer spells of rain on Friday night with an ongoing chance of isolated thunderstorms will gradually become confined to the west and north on Friday night. Long clear spells will develop elsewhere overnight. Lowest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees with southwesterly winds decreasing mostly moderate overland, fresher near coasts.

Saturday: Saturday will be a bright and breezy day with sunshine and showers, some heavy. There'll be good dry spells too, especially further to the east and south. Moderate to fresh and occasionally gusty westerly winds will be strong at times in coastal parts of the west and north. Highest temperatures of 14 to 17 degrees. It'll be largely dry on Saturday night with clear spells, with just a few showers in the west and northwest. Lowest temperatures of 8 to 11 degrees in light to moderate southwest winds.

Sunday: Dry with some sunshine in the east at first on Sunday, however, cloudier conditions in the west with outbreaks of rain and drizzle will gradually spread eastwards as the day goes on. Becoming drier and brighter again from the west later in the day. Highest temperatures of 15 to 18 degrees in mostly moderate south to southwest breezes. It'll be largely dry on Sunday night with clear spells, and just a few showers near Atlantic coasts. Cloud amounts will increase overnight. Lowest temperatures of 11 to 14 degrees in light to moderate southwest winds.

Monday: Current indications suggest Monday will be mostly cloudy to begin with patchy outbreaks of rain and drizzle spreading eastwards. A spell of more persistent and heavy rain looks likely to develop in the west and southwest towards evening. Highest temperatures of 16 to 18 degrees. Light to moderate southerly winds increasing fresh to strong near coasts later.

Further Outlook: Changeable and unsettled conditions look likely to persist through midweek but on the plus side, temperatures look set to recover closer to normal.