Strong winds and high tides have raised fears of potential flooding along the west coast as Storm Fionn begins to pass over Ireland on Tuesday evening.
Some roads in Limerick are flooded due to the strong winds and high tides this evening. Limerick County Council announced the N69 at Mount Trenchard has been closed due to flooding until further notice.
Galway County Council issued a warning to members of the public to avoid coastal routes as flooding was expected, following the high tide at 5:10pm. In Galway city centre the Salthill Promenade was closed on Tuesday evening ahead of the strong winds and waves. But a spokesman for Galway City Council said current estimates showed high tides over the coming days would be “below the critical level.”
#StormFionn that has been named by @MetEireann shouldn’t have been named. It needs no more than a standard weather warning. It’s not even a low pressure with a storm centre, just a squeeze in the isobars. What next? Naming raindrops? It’s ridiculous! pic.twitter.com/WylG2Ym65d
— Liam Dutton (@liamdutton) January 16, 2018
Kerry County Council also issued a warning on Tuesday evening that members of the public should travel with care near coastal roads.
Cork Airport have advised passengers flying on Tuesday to check with their airlines for the latest flight information, but no flights out of Cork or Shannon Airport have been delayed due to the storm.
AA Roadwatch have reported conditions are dangerous across several counties due to heavy snow, ice and slush build up on roads, including Monaghan, Cavan, Leitrim, Mayo and Donegal.
In Northern Ireland an amber snowfall weather warning was issued and the Department of Infrastructure issued a warning to all road users to exercise caution travelling. The department advised disruptions to public transport may also be likely due to heavy snow.
Meanwhile, Liam Dutton, a British weather presenter with Channel 4, criticised Met Éireann for officially naming the weather system as a storm on Twitter. Tweeting "#StormFionn that has been named by @MetEireann shouldn't have been named. It needs no more than a standard weather warning. It's not even a low pressure with a storm centre, just a squeeze in the isobars. What next? Naming raindrops? It's ridiculous!"
