Met Eireann has warned that it may be forced to issue a Status Red weather alert for Donegal and the North-West as it tracks Hurricane Lorenzo towards Ireland.
Evelyn Cusack, Head of Forecasting at Met Eireann, said they are waiting to see how the storm develops before issuing a weather warning.
However, she warned “So while it will give some very wet and very windy weather, perhaps Orange Weather warnings will be the worst, perhaps touching a Status Red on the west and north-west coast, but we won’t be issuing those warnings until Wednesday morning.”
Met Eireann have issued a weather advisory for “potential stormy conditions” on Thursday and Friday.
The forecaster said there is a “high probability” that Storm Lorenzo will track close to or over Ireland later on Thursday and early Friday, giving “high seas, severe winds and heavy rain”.
The warning is applicable from midday on Thursday to midday on Friday and Met Eireann will issue weather warnings tomorrow morning.
Donegal County Council is yet to issue specific information locally.
Meanwhile, the Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy will convene a meeting of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group this afternoon as Hurricane Lorenzo approaches.
The view of Hurricane Lorenzo and its projected path as of this morning (Pics: US National Hurricane Center)
Met Eireann has said it is on standby to issue a Status Orange weather warning for certain areas, with a Status Red warning a possibility for the west and north-west coast.
The ESB, Gardaí, public transport operators and local authorities have been told to be ready to activate their crisis management plans.
The national forecaster is on standby to issue a Status Orange weather warning for certain areas as Hurricane Lorenzo approaches Ireland.
It says that Hurricane Lorenzo is expected to weaken into a tropical storm as it approached Ireland.
According to the National Hurricane Centre, tropical storms can have maximum wind speeds of up to 118km/hr.
The National Emergency Co-Ordination group has yet to be convened for a meeting, but the ESB, Gardaí, public transport operators and local authorities have been told to be ready to activate their crisis management plans.