STORM FRANK, Tuesday 29th-Wednesday 30th. Heavy Rain, Flooding and strong winds.

Oscar Bravo

A nice little "Winter-be ready" article here on the Met Eireann sight, worth a read if nothing else http://winterready.ie/Be-Winter-Ready.aspx

Irish Steve

Couple of extra thoughts on the driving in marginal conditions scenario.

If you have a mobile phone, make sure that the battery is fully charged before you start the journey, and if you have a charging lead in the vehicle, use it. If it's a smartphone, try to download a mapping or GPS based map system, so that you have something you can use to see where you're going if you get diverted off the planned route because of flooding, at times like this, "alternative" routes are not signposted, and if you end up on minor roads, that can be a problem.

If you have more than one mobile in the group, even better, and more so if they are on different networks.

Have plenty of warm and waterproof wear in the vehicle, and try to make sure that footwear is suitable for paddling in case of emergency, high heels for example are not a good way to be getting out of a vehicle that in water.

Makes sure that you have at least one good torch with fresh or charged batteries in the car (NOT the boot), in case things go wrong suddenly, if it's dark as well, that can be very frightening, especially for young children.

corsav6

Lads I come on here to get relevant information with regards to this particular storm. Where I'm located wind is a real threat to our property so these threads on boards help me get prepared and give me useful updates during the event.

While I fully appreciate that driving advice is necessary during these events I also feel it's gone slightly off topic at this stage.
There's too many driving tips posts in this thread at the moment and while I agree that it's important safety information, I also think a new thread would be more appropriate.

Just my opinion, not trying undermine anyone else's opinion.

Lumi

Mod Note

Guys

Mirrorwall's query was asked and answered three pages back and since then the thread has gone completely off topic with several instances of back-seat moderation thrown in for good measure.

Can we get back to discussing Storm Frank please and please report any posts that require a moderators attention instead of further derailing the thread.

Also, we have a Motors forum for discussing driving tips http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=47

Thanks

pauldry

Latest on storm frank predicts wind gusts of 120kph off west coast and rainfall in 24hrs of 40 to 70mm in galway kerry and cork especially

Irish Steve

Also now orange warning for Wicklow for rain up to 70mm Tuesday 12:00 to Wednesday 12:00, which is an outlier in relation to the other areas that the orange warning covers.

maquiladora

Irish Steve wrote: »

Also now orange warning for Wicklow for rain up to 70mm Tuesday 12:00 to Wednesday 12:00, which is an outlier in relation to the other areas that the orange warning covers.

Orographic rainfall due to high ground in Wicklow?

M.T. Cranium

Please keep in mind also that Gerty is looking dirty for New Years Day in Munster, very strong wind gradients continue run after run on the GFS. Any flooding problems that develop 29th-30th will have less than 36h to be resolved before this next round of wind and rain set in.

Xenji

It will be interesting to see how much Cork Airport records tomorrow rain wise, it is the only station currently with over 300mm for the month, it only had 58.9mm last December, it is currently up on 311.00mm so far this month.

RoisinD

pauldry wrote: »

Latest on storm frank predicts wind gusts of 120kph off west coast and rainfall in 24hrs of 40 to 70mm in galway kerry and cork especially

Not being smart but does that rainfall include Clare as we are situated between Kerry and Galway?

JCX BXC

RoisinD wrote: »

Not being smart but does that rainfall include Clare as we are situated between Kerry and Galway?

Noted that myself too. I would take it as it is included, and its just being forgotten about.

Oscar Bravo

Its approaching five to midnight so for the very latest ,its over to met eireann on radio 1(Sky 0160) for the very latest general and sea area forecast

pad199207

RoisinD wrote: »

Not being smart but does that rainfall include Clare as we are situated between Kerry and Galway?

Ah yeah it certainly would be included

maquiladora

RoisinD wrote: »

Not being smart but does that rainfall include Clare as we are situated between Kerry and Galway?

High ground in Galway would produce more rain.

Some big totals here for high ground in the south and east over just 36 hours...

Padster90s

ME had a rainfall graphic on the 9 news and the heaviest rain wasn't forecast for Clare. I don't get the logic either but they didn't forget Clare, they seem to think it won't affect Clare.

JCX BXC

Clares in the yellow warning now. (Wasn't specifically mentioned earlier)

allthedoyles

Once again it looks like Co. Wexford will escape the worst of the storm .

JCX BXC

allthedoyles wrote: »

Once again it looks like Co. Wexford will escape the worst of the storm .

Not often that Wexford gets the brunt of it to be fair.

squarecircles

I think it's time...

Oscar Bravo

a late night update from met eireann which drops the word stormy to extremely windy along west coasts so its the rain from this guy thats gonna cause the big problems,0008 hours as follows.....

Rain will soon clear the east and north and it will become mostly dry with just isolated showers, some could be heavy. Winds will become light to moderate south to southwesterly. Lowest temperatures will fall to between 2 and 5 degrees with a touch of ground frost in sheltered areas.




Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Tuesday will start dry with good sunny spells in freshening southerly winds. However, it will become very windy by afternoon with strong to gale force southerly winds and it will become extremely windy along Atlantic coasts as storm Frank tracks northwards off the west coast. Heavy rain will push into the southwest and west in the afternoon and spread eastwards during the evening. Afternoon temperatures will be between 7 and 11 degrees.

Outlook

Tuesday night: will be wet and windy with rain in most places with heavy falls in western and southern counties and strong southerly winds continuing.

Wednesday: widespread and locally heavy rain for most of the day, with the heaviest falls over the southern half of the country with flooding possible near rivers and coasts. A clearance to isolated showers will spread from the west in the afternoon. Winds will continue to be strong southerly in many areas and will increase near gale for a time along the Atlantic seaboard before veering westerly and moderating. On Wednesday night showers will mostly affect western and southern coastal counties, while clear spells are likely to develop elsewhere. It will turn cold for inland areas, with slight to sharp ground frost leading to a risk of icy patches on untreated surfaces.

Thursday, New Year's Eve: a cold day with showers of rain or hail affecting most parts of the country. Moderate, southwesterly winds will slacken over land early on Thursday night, with frost and icy patches setting in as cloud breaks in many places. However, showers will continue in western coastal counties overnight, some wintry.

Friday, New Year's Day: scattered showers in western areas, some wintry, but mostly dry and bright elsewhere with light winds. However, it will remain cold overall, especially in places where overnight fog may be slow to clear.

Next weekend seems likely to see a return to frequent wet and windy spells, and it will feel colder overall.

Oscar Bravo

2330 Marine update also STATUS ORANGE

Gale Warning
Southerly gales or strong gales will develop on Tuesday on all Irish coasts and on the Irish Sea. Winds will increase to storm force 10 on coasts from Mizen Head to Slyne Head to Malin Head on Tuesday afternoon and evening and occasionally reach storm force 10 from Malin Head to Howth Head to Hook Head and on the Irish Sea by Tuesday evening.

Cantona's Collars

maquiladora wrote: »

High ground in Galway would produce more rain.

Some big totals here for high ground in the south and east over just 36 hours...

That will be Enniscorthy flooded so.River Slaney already running very high.

Here's a pic from Nasa of Frank.

Meteorite58

I might be totally wrong but I would not be surprised if we saw a Red warning for W / NW counties yet. Or at least a red warning of sorts for the coasts of those counties.

squarecircles

Meteorite58 wrote: »

I might be totally wrong but I would not be surprised if we saw a Red warning for W / NW counties yet. Or at least a red warning of sorts for the coasts of those counties.

Really? What do you base that on.

Meteorite58

Nice Sat pic, is that sand dust being blown off the Sahara ,I wonder ?

JCX BXC

Meteorite58 wrote: »

Nice Sat pic, is that sand dust being blown off the Sahara ,I wonder ?

That orangy colour by the canaries? Maybe

Bongalongherb

Storm force 10 on coasts from malin head and howth head tuesday evening it seems.

Cantona's Collars

Meteorite58 wrote: »

Nice Sat pic, is that sand dust being blown off the Sahara ,I wonder ?

It seems so,every window on my house has been covered in dust on the few occasions the rain has stopped.Looks like these storms are dragging dust from the Sahara up with them.

Meteorite58

squarecircles wrote: »

Really? What do you base that on.

I think it is maybe borderline at the moment between Orange and Red , they don't use Red lightly and rightly so and I think they will wait for one more run if they are to include Red warning to be certain, of course only if it is required and I think it could be needed from looking at the models , also an awfull amount of fatall road accidents over Christmas which may be be weather related that in turn could just add more importance to calling a Red warning as I said for W / NW counties, also as it is coupled with the rain warnings it will make conditions far worse.

Gaoth Laidir

KNMI 12.5 km ASCAT winds of developing Frank, measured at 22:20Z (red barbs), with Hirlam data for 22:00Z (winds blue, isobars red) and Satellite at 22:15Z.

Model winds are agreeing well with measured winds, but there may be a double centre of rotation, one around 2 degrees (~150 km) more east than the model suggests. The yellow flags signify ambiguities in the measured winds, however there may still be some uncertainty in the model which could mean a faster motion towards the east and hence a closer brush with Ireland tomorrow. One to watch in later model runs.