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

Coles

The Poulaphuca Reservoir is very full, certainly at or near it's 'Maximum Normal Operating Level' of 186.3m.

Despite this high level the ESB will be holding back the flow from the dam so as to take the pressure off the middle part of the catchment until after the storm has passed, at which stage they will probably start running down the level again so that it is back inside the normal range.

With the forecasted rain of 70mm+ for the catchment this will raise the level of the reservoir by about 0.9m, but it's worth remembering that the absolute crest height is 189.6m, so we would need to be facing 200mm of rain before there was a chance that the reservoir was unable to hold back the flood waters.

Nothing to worry about with this storm, thankfully, and there doesn't appear to be anything in the long range forecast before the level is run back down again to it's normal range.

YFlyer

squarecircles wrote: »

Storm picking up pace now in west Mayo.

Same out in Clew Bay. Don't think I'll be walking around the island.

squarecircles

Toxica wrote: »

Is that bad news or good news?

Tighter gradient = stronger winds.

Graces7

Toxica wrote: »

My mother lives in the Bridia Valley, she says it's not too bad there but I think she is quite sheltered from the southerly/south easterly winds. There were still hikers out there this morning though. Madness.

Glad she had that shelter and yes I know that area well. Neatly tucked away! I am very high up and exposed here. Almost no shelter. But at least safe from flooding. I think folk just do not realise what it can be like. If they are well dressed and know when to stop...the cyclists who passed were almost literally flying and could not have stopped. So much sheer power. A couple of clearly tourist cars stopped a few times ahead of me then turned round at Ladies View and headed back to Killarney. From Molls Gap down to Kenmare was the worst stretch with that wind direction and the exposed road. I know I have an over sensitivity to high winds after my stint on a north Scottish island but it taught me to respect the power and to take care.

La.de.da

Very blustery here in South tipp with the last half hour. Rain starting to pour.
I suspect this is it for the afternoon / night.

Nothing for it only to open up the last tin of chocolates and maybe a bottle of merlot later.

Thanks for the updates.

Graces7

La.de.da wrote: »

Very blustery here in South tipp with the last half hour. Rain starting to pour.
I suspect this is it for the afternoon / night.

Nothing for it only to open up the last tin of chocolates and maybe a bottle of merlot later.

Thanks for the updates.

Going to settle here in South Kerry too with 2 hot water bottles and maybe a glass or two of my potent home made Irish Cream liqueur...... feed the critters first of course.. going to be a noisy old night. Stay safe everyone. Back later to catch up..

Oneiric 3

Frontal analysis at 12pm

Baggy Trousers

Went for a nice walk. Tame enough in Oughterard thus far. Not much rain either. Mild too.

howlinwolf

luckily the southeast always fair better from these type of storm setups. The second low that's showing up for tomorrow morning is far more worrying as it shows on the models at the moment is the push far inland across the south midlands. this definitely needs monitoring as the day goes on. thanks again to maq and others for highlighting this secondary low and for all the updates. I don't expect too much trouble from the wind from storm frank in this part of the world but the rainfall amounts could be a real problem.

Graces7

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/irelands-towns-and-villages-brace-for-storm-frank-713358.html grand efforts..

Xenji

Some 50kts gusts in Castlebar in the last few minutes.

squarecircles

Lights flickering here in louisburgh co. Mayo.

Lumi

Gusting to 71km/h in Galway city now
Barometer 993.33 hPa Falling very rapidly

B17G

howlinwolf wrote: »

luckily the southeast always fair better from these type of storm setups. The second low that's showing up for tomorrow morning is far more worrying as it shows on the models at the moment is the push far inland across the south midlands. this definitely needs monitoring as the day goes on. thanks again to maq and others for highlighting this secondary low and for all the updates. I don't expect too much trouble from the wind from storm frank in this part of the world but the rainfall amounts could be a real problem.

12Z GFS not developing it aggressively. But the model resolution mightn't be able to handle it great either as its a small feature.

green and yellow

proper mental in south west donegal. power flickered just the once though.

Dazzo

maquiladora wrote: »

Regarding the secondary low tomorrow, 12Z HIRLAM now showing a tighter gradient over the southwest than on previous runs. More in line with what the ARPEGE has been showing.

Hey maq, have been lurking here for quiet a while now. only recently started to engage. Am in east Clare, between sliabh Aughty and Sliabh Bearnagh. Should we be getting worried about son of Frank in these parts?
P.S. massive thanks to you and the other regular contributors. Your posts are hugely informative and i have learnt so much from all of you. Don't ever leave us!!!

ninebeanrows

Yes, difficult for GFS to handle the second small low at this stage. EC will give better guidance. But we are in now-cast territory

Miss Stormyseas

Very strong gusts in Salthill, Galway now. So glad I'm indoors! Galway council have closed the prom & Dr Colohan road to traffic

maquiladora

3pm analysis chart. There is a tighter gradient associated with the secondary low than with Frank at the moment. 966mb now.

Tactical

Graces7 wrote: »

Reporting in from South Kerry, 400 asl. JUst back and sorted. It i horrific out there, worse than previous storms. My plan was to get to Killarney and be home by noon or soon after as the forecasts said it would be afternoon. The road this morning (Moll' Gap to Killarney on what they call " the top road" as oppoed to Kenmare to Kilgarvan was aalready very wet and in one place would need comparatively little to flood it. The road was skiddy and pooling already. I am an experienced and intrepid driver ( been at it over 50 years) and would not like to do that run again. Tactical. I thought of you and your wisdom and i certainly had food in the car by then.. Stopped by the lake to drink the coffee I had bought and a young foreign tourist couple were there; no idea of the weather ahead. Two big laybys were filled with cars; walking clubs probably and a trio of cyclists shot past ..Saw a Park Ranger van parked skewwiff and the Ranger scrambling down a bank so pulled in in case i could help. This map will show road problems... http://kerry.maps.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=10904a4412aa4e21af406708e69638fc

You live in one of the most senic parts of the country, its a teriffic place in the good weather and even more amazing in proper bad weather.

Delighted to hear your reports and descriptions. I've often stopped for a break on the road between Molls Gap and Killarney, you can really clear your head there.

Fair play to the Park Ranger and fair play to you too for stopping to see if help was required. I've seen so many people just pass by traffic accidents where injuries have been evident and assistance needed. Well done.

Its amazing how people will still head out inappropriately even with the press coverage of the impending weather. The National Park is a large area with some difficult terrain that makes search operations more difficult (when are they ever easy anyways?)

I look forward to any updates on the way things develop at your location. Sit back and enjoy the show that nature is providing

I'm at 120mtrs asl (approx 390 feet), South facing and only have a little shelter to the North. I get battered by everything nature throws. Looking forward to this one developing

I'll be out in it later and will provide reports as I can.

snubbleste

No reports from the Aran Islands.. Have they been blown away?

Gaoth Laidir

Windshear causing some problems for landing aircraft now.

EIDW WS WRNG 03 291535 VALID 291536/291736 MOD WS IN APCH RWY16 REP AT 1504 A320 GAIN OF 20 KNOTS AT 50 FEET=
EIDW WS WRNG 01 291510 VALID 291518/291718 MOD WS IN APCH RWY10 OBS AT 1504 A320 GAIN OF 10 KNOTS=

Toxica

snubbleste wrote: »

No reports from the Aran Islands.. Have they been blown away?

Maybe their power is out?

greedygoblin

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

Windshear causing some problems for landing aircraft now.

EIDW WS WRNG 03 291535 VALID 291536/291736 MOD WS IN APCH RWY16 REP AT 1504 A320 GAIN OF 20 KNOTS AT 50 FEET=
EIDW WS WRNG 01 291510 VALID 291518/291718 MOD WS IN APCH RWY10 OBS AT 1504 A320 GAIN OF 10 KNOTS=

WS is windsheer yes?
Edit: Yes. Missed the 1st line of your post! :pac:

JCX BXC

greedygoblin wrote: »

WS is windsheer yes?

Yes.

Gaoth Laidir

Carnacalla wrote: »

Yes.

Yes.

Tactical

The ESB Networks Twitter account is getting busy.

I've even seen them mention "Prepare for the worst, hope for the best."

Laughing here as I use that phrase all the time

ednwireland

Power out in bundoran donegal whole town out shame was planning to see star wars.

Smidge

Some big gusts here atm. Its been dark all day! Have a feeling that some may be taken aback by Frank, I don't think it has even reached its peak here yet(meath/cavan border)and the house is rocking.

SEPT 23 1989

Very windy in West Dublin this afternoon