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Orange weather warning issued by Met Eireann

September 2nd, 2017 3:58 PM

By Jackie Keogh

Rain-bearing clouds crossing Ireland today.

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Communities across West Cork are on high alert because 50mm of rain is expected to fall in the south of the country

Met Eireann has issued two rainfall warnings as the country prepares to be subject to a deluge of anything between 40mm to 50mm between noon on Saturday and 3am on Sunday morning.

Communities across West Cork are bracing themselves to deal with the worst of the weather. Met Eireann has issued a status orange rainfall warning for Cork, Kerry and Waterford because the rainfall is expected to be heaviest in the south.

Elsewhere the accumulations are expected to be between 30mm and 40mm over a 12-hour period, but there is a possibility that 50mm, or more, could fall on hills and mountains in the south of the country.

Met Eireann said this weather system had its originals in warmer, near tropical air, so it is going to be humid with temperatures not falling below 12 to 14 degrees.

From mid-day on Saturday there were signs that people were preparing for not just heavy rainfall but strong and gusty southerly winds as well.

In Skibbereen, which is just one of the West Cork towns subject to flooding, the secretary of the local floods committee, Cathal O’Donovan told The Southern Star it is pretty much a ‘wait and see’ situation because ‘no two floods are the same.’

He said the floods committee, and local response team, is on high alert and will continue to meet and monitor the situation throughout the day. He also confirmed that the construction company engaged in the town’s flood relief scheme is on stand-by should the river channels need clearing.

 

 

 

 

 

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