Met Éireann has issued status orange rain warnings for six Irish counties as Storm Austen approaches the country, according to The Irish Times. The upgraded alerts cover Waterford, Cork and Kerry from 10am on Thursday until 5am on Friday, and Dublin, Wexford and Wicklow from 2am until 8am on Friday.
The orange warnings replace an earlier nationwide status yellow rain warning and signal that conditions are expected to worsen. Met Éireann has cautioned that the storm will bring flooding, disruption to public transport and what it described as very difficult travel conditions.
Why it matters
A status orange warning is the second-highest level on the Met Éireann scale, and its use here indicates that the forecaster expects the rain to be severe enough to affect daily life across a wide stretch of the country. The warnings land in two phases: the southern counties of Waterford, Cork and Kerry face the first bout of intense rain from Thursday morning, while the eastern counties of Dublin, Wexford and Wicklow are covered later, overnight into Friday.
For commuters, schools and transport operators, the timing is significant. The eastern warning covers the Friday morning rush hour, and Met Éireann has warned of disruption to public transport alongside the flooding risk.
How the storm is expected to develop
According to The Irish Times, Storm Austen is forecast to reach Ireland on Thursday. The forecaster said the system will form over the Atlantic and strengthen as it moves toward western Europe and the UK, helped along by a strong jet stream.
Aoife Kealy, deputy head of forecasts at Met Éireann, said the storm will pass to the south of Ireland, bringing heavy rain and potentially strong winds. She told the outlet that the strongest winds are expected in the UK, but that Ireland could still see gale-force conditions in places.
Kealy said small shifts in the low-pressure track would make a large difference to where the worst weather lands on Thursday night and Friday, making it difficult to single out any one area as most at risk. She said heavy rain is possible nationwide, with the strongest winds likely in the south, closest to the low pressure, though strong winds could occur more widely.
Thursday itself is expected to begin dry, with sunny spells and scattered showers, before the nationwide yellow rain warning takes effect at 7pm and runs until 8am on Friday. Met Éireann said Thursday night will be very wet, windy and stormy, with widespread heavy and persistent rain, some flooding in southern and eastern counties, and isolated thunderstorms. Cyclonic variable winds are forecast to swing northwest and strengthen overnight, reaching gale force in places, with lows of 5 to 8 degrees.
Coastal and marine warnings already in force
Conditions began deteriorating before the storm's arrival. The Irish Times reports that heavy rain fell in the east of the country overnight, and coastal communities are experiencing strong winds ahead of the system. Wednesday was forecast to start wet and windy, with cyclonic variable winds in coastal areas.
Several marine warnings have been issued. A small craft warning for all Irish coasts took effect at 4pm on Tuesday and runs until 4pm on Wednesday. A status yellow marine gale warning covering Belfast Lough to Carlingford Lough to Carnsore Point came into force at 4am on Wednesday and lasts until midday, while a separate gale warning from Rossan Point to Belfast Lough to Carnsore Point began at 6am and remains until 4pm. A further small craft warning from Carnsore Point to Roche's Point to Slyne Head starts at 4pm and stays in place until 1am on Thursday.
West to southwest winds are expected to reach force six or higher at times, according to the forecaster, with spells of sunshine and scattered showers on what it called a blustery day.
Kealy advised the public to keep up to date with the latest information from Met Éireann, and the forecaster has said the warnings could be revised on Wednesday or Thursday as the storm's path becomes clearer.
The name Austen was chosen by Met Éireann to honour Austen H. Nagle, who was appointed the first director of the Irish Meteorological Service in 1936.
Watch for updated warnings from Met Éireann on Wednesday and Thursday, as the forecaster has said the track of the low pressure could still shift and change which areas face the worst conditions.
