Storm Bram: 11 Irish counties under status orange weather warning

Status orange wind warnings have been announced for 11 counties, with the entirety of the Republic of Ireland facing other weather advisories.

Storm Bram is to bring very strong winds, high coastal water levels, and periods of heavy rainfall to Ireland from late on Monday night through until Tuesday.

After a week of persistent rain, Irish forecasting agency Met Eireann said soils across the country are already highly saturated and many rivers are approaching bank-full conditions, so any additional rainfall is likely to result in surface and river flooding from Tuesday.

Forecasters said Storm Bram will bring very strong to gale force southerly winds as they announced a status yellow wind warning for the entirety of the Republic.

It said this would bring difficult travel conditions and flying debris between 3am and 9pm on Tuesday.

Two separate status orange wind warnings are in place for very strong to gale force winds in coastal counties.

The first warning – for Cork, Kerry, Waterford and Wexford – is in place between 7am and 3pm on Tuesday.

The second warning – for Clare, Limerick, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo – will be in effect between 10am and 6pm.

Met Eireann advises that both carry the potential impacts of flooding of low-lying coastal areas, wave overtopping, difficult travel conditions, and impacts to outdoor events.

In addition, a status yellow rain warning will be in place between 9pm on Monday and 9am in Tuesday with heavy rain falling on already saturated ground in Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, and Waterford.