Latest: Power outages expected from Storm Dylan
The ESB are mobilising teams to prepare for possible electricity outages resulting from Storm Dylan.
Spokesperson Derek Hynes said they expect "significant, but not multi-day, level outages".
"Depending on how bad the wind actually is, we would expect to see some customers without electricity in Mayo, Sligo and Donegal. But at this point we're not expecting that number to be extremely high," said Hynes.
These are some of the charts for #StormDylan Left hand side is 3am right hand side is 6am if you lose supply see https://t.co/VMtxFrW7FY Maybe charge all devices prior to midnight , do not charge items overnight #StaySafe pic.twitter.com/oxYSPjCCib
— ESB Networks (@ESBNetworks) December 30, 2017
Ireland is braced for Storm Dylan to bring a wet and windy end to 2017.
There's an orange wind warning in place from Met Éireann for Connacht and eight other counties, Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Longford, Louth, Westmeath, Meath and Clare.
The forecast track of Storm Dylan.
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) December 30, 2017
Get the latest warning updates here:https://t.co/X6NncUghZ9#StormDylan pic.twitter.com/FVxhsHtwkV
They are warnings of gusts reaching 125kph from late on Saturday into Sunday morning.
There's also a yellow wind warning in place for the rest of the country.
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) December 30, 2017
A UK Met Office amber wind warning covering the Northern and parts of southern and western Scotland is in place for Sunday morning after forecasters warned there was the potential for "injuries and danger to life from flying debris".
Met Éireann warned that Dylan would pass close to the country's north-west coast, bringing wintry showers as temperatures dropped as low as 2C.
Southeast winds will freshen this evening, becoming SW & incr to reach storm force off the NW coast overnight. Clear weather in N for a time this evening but rain on S coast will steadily spread northwards to all areas later. Becoming heavy with a risk of thunder in N tonight
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) December 30, 2017
A spokesman said: "Rain will become widespread tonight.
"In the north it will be heaviest, with a risk of thunder, and will fall as snow and sleet over the hills and mountains.
"Coastal flooding is expected along the west coast as high seas coincide with low tide and onshore winds."
The winds are expected to ease into the afternoon on December 31 as the storm moves north west, so revellers heading out to see in 2018 may escape the worst of the weather.
Strong winds and coastal flooding are due to hit parts of the country today as Storm Dylan reaches Ireland.
A Status Orange weather warning is in place for Connacht and seven other counties from 9pm tonight, with gusts of up to 120 kilometres an hour expected.
A Status Yellow wind warning will be in effect for Munster, as well as Dublin, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Wexford, Wicklow and Offaly.
#StormDylan has officially been named by @MetEireann. Dylan will track across parts of Ireland Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday morning pic.twitter.com/OJlnBxPnte
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 29, 2017
Met Éireann forecaster Vincent O'Shea outlines the conditions we can expect.
"Like any storm, it's going to bring wind and rain, a combination of those," he said.
"There'll also be high seas going into western coastal areas.
"Overnight on Saturday night, it will be very, very windy, stormy, particularly across the north western half of the country. So very, very strong winds, gusts of up to about 130km p/h are possible, so they could do at least some slight structural damage."
Very lucky escape for one couple when windy conditions ahead of #StormDylan brought a tree down on their car in Belfast earlier! pic.twitter.com/bNOOiN9Gj6
— UTV (@utv) December 29, 2017
Assistant Garda Commissioner Michael Finn is advising motorists to be extra vigilant in stormy conditions.
"We can't just assume because the speed limit is 120 on the motorway that you can continue to drive 120 on the motorway if there's surface water, or if there's high wind or other factors going to impact on safety, so you've got to slow down and drive your vehicle proportionate to the road conditions you encounter at the time."
Orange warning : Winds of 60-80km/h with 120km/h gusts are expected for MO, LM, SO, G, RN, CN, MN, LH, LD, WM, MH on Saturday night and Sunday morning. #StormDylan pic.twitter.com/PYzWsKKfx6
— RSA Ireland (@RSAIreland) December 29, 2017
