STATUS Orange wind warnings have been issued for six counties in the west of Ireland as the country prepares for Storm Franklin.
A Status Yellow warning was issued early on Sunday for the whole country, but the west is on high alert after a series of 'dangerous/disruptive' Orange warnings.
The first of these came into effect for Co. Clare at midday on Sunday, warning Storm Franklin "will cause gale force westerly winds with severe and damaging gusts".
It adds that the winds, combined with very high seas, "will lead to wave overtopping, which may result in coastal flooding".
The warning is in place until midnight.
A similar wind warning came into effect at 3pm for Galway and Mayo, which will be in effect for 12 hours.
Windy & wet today with strong to gale force westerly winds & severe gusts, especially in the W&N, with very high seas & some coastal flooding. Heavy rain will move SE, clearing to showers this afternoon, some heavy with the chance of hail & isolated thunderstorms.
Highs of 4-8°C pic.twitter.com/Yj4UoZavSY
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) February 20, 2022
Another 12-hour warning issued to Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo will come into effect at 7pm this evening.
Met Éireann has also issued a Status Orange marine storm warning, which is in place until 9am on Monday.
It predicts west to northwest winds will reach storm force 10 on Irish coastal waters from Valentia to Bloody Foreland to Carlingford Lough, as well as on the Irish Sea North of Anglesey.
Meanwhile, the Irish Coast Guard has warned that Franklin will bring severe and damaging winds and has advised extreme caution to anyone in coastal areas.
Ireland has already been hit by Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice this week.
The latter brought severe and damaging hurricane force winds to southwestern parts of the county on Friday, with wind gusts of 137 km/h recorded at Roches Point in Co. Cork.
