ANOTHER named storm is on its way to Ireland later this week, with the northern and western counties bracing themselves for the worst of it.
Storm Michael, which has been causing damage along Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and is due to bring its force towards Florida’s Gulf coast tomorrow, is expected to grow in strength and officially become a hurricane before crossing the Atlantic and hitting Ireland at the weekend.
Ireland’s national forecaster, Met Éireann, have stated that "there is the potential for a named storm to come close to Ireland later Thursday night and early Friday morning, as a deep area of low pressure is set to track northwards, to the west of Ireland."
At present, these stormy conditions are expected to hit Ireland later in the week but after a mild start to Thursday, conditions are set to deteriorate.
Our latest rainfall radar image from our website https://t.co/e0QpncNkig pic.twitter.com/gMNjBnuObb
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) October 9, 2018
A yellow warning for wind is in place between 5am and 9pm on Friday, with the strongest gusts expected in the morning.
Yesterday, we reported that status yellow weather warnings have been issued across three counties; Donegal, Mayo and Sligo.
This particular warning was originally issued at 12:00 on 08 October and it's in effect from Monday 08 October 13:00 - 09 October 15:00.
According to Met Eireann: "It looks as if it will be dry to start Thursday night. Then it is set to become extremely windy or stormy later Thursday night and for much of Friday morning.
“Strong to gale force and blustery south to southeast winds developing overnight will become southwesterly early Friday morning. This could well lead to some disruption, with some damaging gusts in places, but especially in exposed Atlantic coastal areas.
“There will be heavy rain, high seas and high tides too, with the added risk of coastal flooding.”
Rain of 25-40 mm is expected to fall over the coming days.
Northern Ireland is expected to be hit the hardest by Hurricane Michael, but the UK’s Met Office said a final blast of summer known as an Indian summer could arrive tomorrow prior to the treacherous storm.
This so called Indian Summer could send the mercury as high as 18C in Belfast.
