Met Eireann has issued a number of weather warnings for the beginning of next week as the end of Hurricane Ophelia is due to hit our shores.
A red wind warning has been issued for Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway and Mayo for between 9am on Monday morning and the early hours of Tuesday morning with severe winds and stormy conditions expected.
RED WIND WARNING ISSUED
For Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway & Mayo
Valid: Mon 9am - Tues 3am
Gusts in excess of 130km/hhttps://t.co/LIC2EnKayX pic.twitter.com/XfXqxxrHox— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) October 14, 2017
Meanwhile, an orange weather warning is valid for the rest of the country.
Hurricane Ophelia is expected to transition to a post-tropical storm by the time it reaches Ireland on Monday.
ORANGE WIND WARNING ISSUED
For all areas outside of Red Warning area
Valid: Mon 9am - Tues 3am
Gusts 110 to 130km/hhttps://t.co/LIC2EnKayX pic.twitter.com/O3G58BPCsc— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) October 14, 2017
Meteorologist Joan Blackburn says that there will be "very severe winds, which are likely to bring down some trees and cause some structural damage to buildings."
"We have very high seas associated with this because of the winds, particularly along the south and west coasts and there could be some coastal flooding", she continued.
Clare County Council has also urged an appeal, asking land, home and business owners to "take precautionary steps in light of the flood risk posed by a combination of storm force winds and a large sea swell."