Storm Ali : Weds 19 Sept 2018

spookwoman

Turnipman wrote: »

This illustrated RTE report may show where the caravan was parked. The seas look mad crazy, as Grace mentioned earlier. Hard to imagine that it's the same place where my kids and I have walked and driven over to Omey Island so many times.

Know now where they were parked

Defaulter1831

RIP that poor lady in Galway. Wrong place at the wrong time, it could be any of our story.

With a name like Ali we should have known this storm might pack a punch

gozunda

Some photos of storm damage around the country. Lots of trees down.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/0919/994722-storm-ali/

MJohnston

gozunda wrote: »

It has some very strange tripadvisor reviews ....

Stayed there a few times in my campervan, it's a beautiful spot with a lovely family running it. Such a tragedy.

marklazarcovic

Never seen so many trees down in Galway,damaged work van as doors got caught in a gust and bent at hinge..it was pretty scary..bits flying everywhere

sryanbruen

Until further notice, Storm Ali peaked at 75 knots (86 mph) at Mace Head, Co. Galway today. Here's how Ali looks, in terms of maximum wind gusts, in comparison with previous named Irish storms since 2015 (and Darwin of February 2014).



Data comes from Met Éireann.

Graces7

km79 wrote: »

Number of houses affected in closest fault to me has handed already
Never ceases to amaze me how quickly the esb guys get things back in a situation like today
Hope we are back in action when I get home

agree,, went off here 8.38 and was I think back before noon. Those men are great!

spookwoman

Another Death
https://twitter.com/itvnews/status/1042440352349806592

Graces7

Turnipman wrote: »

This illustrated RTE report may show where the caravan was parked. The seas look mad crazy, as Grace mentioned earlier. Hard to imagine that it's the same place where my kids and I have walked and driven over to Omey Island so many times.

omey.... I was there before realising that I could never risk driving over. I got Feichin to drive me! Tried for a cottage there but nothing opened up.

For those who do not know Omey it is a tidal island. You drive across sand at low tide...There was a youtube film of a coach;load of ladies who walked across and almost got stranded, racing back with skirts held high.

vicwatson

Is omey where the caravan was parked?

MJohnston

vicwatson wrote: »

Is omey where the caravan was parked?

Nope, almost certain it was right here: https://goo.gl/maps/VCt1etxtd5x

spookwoman

vicwatson wrote: »

Is omey where the caravan was parked?

Omay is the island on the left. the campsite in bottom middle

NabyLadistheman

Is Thursday to be bad as well?

weisses

Larbre34 wrote: »

A farce! Set up a Commission of inquiry! Harrumph, the State is neglecting me and my rights!!!!

What bit of 'damaging gusts' did you not get? They left it to grown ups everywhere to hear the forecast and think

'Hmmm, lets see. Stormy winds + lots of trees in full leaf =..... ohhhhhhhh '

So get rid of the colored warning system altogether then is basically what you are saying

Sycamore Tree

Suarezistheman wrote: »

Is Thursday to be bad as well?

uck51js9zml2yt

Luas down from ballally to Dominic st

sryanbruen

91 mph at Mace Head from provisional data here in Met Éireann's tweet so higher than its earlier report of 86 mph. Edited previous post with updated table.

https://twitter.com/MetEireann/status/1042449158886645761

spookwoman

https://twitter.com/waterfdweather/status/1042338843838566401

Ultimate Seduction

How could that caravan park let a lady sleep in it so close to the edge.

EdgeCase

You'd think in semi permanent caravan parks that there would be steel ropes attached to this caravans and into concrete foundations, particularly in areas that are exposed to wind hazards.

Time someone looked at improving existing regulations (of lack there of).

Even unoccupied, they're very easily blown away.

That being said, people are also injured by flying debris, collapsing structures and all sorts of thing during storms like this so I guess you can't regulate against every eventuality. However, if the weather patterns are tending towards more of these kinds of storms, we need to start taking wind loads and mitigation of risks around wind much more seriously than we do.

There are issues around large, single piece rooves, fence designs that don't allow air to pass through, advertising boards and so on too. It's something we should really be looking at across everything to minimise risks in storms.

Widdershins

Campsite sounds like something from Father Ted on the Tripadvisor reviews :O


Storm Ali wasn't too bad here. Ophelia was also relatively mild.

gozunda

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

How could that caravan park let a lady sleep in it so close to the edge.

The photo on RTE showed an ok'ish margin between the spot where the caravan was parked and the embankment.

The whole site looks fairly open to the Atlantic with the exception of some shelter from the sand dunes for tents. It appears that the caravan was hit by a strong winds which lifted / pushed over the edge of an embankment and down 15 metres towards the sea.

See:
https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2018/0919/994724-storm-ali-deaths/

I think the photo with the bicycle/ stool is where the caravan was parked.

Considering the location of the site - I do wonder were there any other tents or caravans which were impacted during the storm?

EdgeCase

You always get that though. Scenic beach means people want to camp but the scenery is so rugged precisely because of the climatic extremes of the wild Atlantic.

We definitely need to be more aware of exposed mobile structures like that.

spookwoman

Most of the sites are back a good bit, a few would be on the inlet looking at trip advisor complaints is a laugh, Its an eco site low impact so you do have to pre book and not 5 star and I saw a review there complaining the grass was long and they got mice in their tent. Thats what happens when you camp you get mice bugs and flies.
here is a link to the streetview of the mai camp area https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.5236326,-10.1337602,3a,75y,93.33h,98.78t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIBIcKGP-tgRUCbUMcqtmFQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The site the camper was on doesn't have the protection of the dunes

MJohnston

Widdershins wrote: »

Campsite sounds like something from Father Ted on the Tripadvisor reviews :O

Really? I'd love to know what people are seeing, I'm seeing 4.5 stars out of 5 like, which seems pretty good?

I mean this is off-topic somewhat, but, it's a campsite, so it's pretty barebones to start with. And then it's eco-positive, so there's a very stripped down set of facilities (although to be honest, much nicer bathroom facilities than a load of campsites I've been to), and the main activities (as with 90% of campsites) are nature trails and exploring the area. I don't know what else people expect from camping!

Anyway, just realised that last time we were there in May last year, what looks like the same caravan was in the exact same location as this ladies was. So I can only imagine it was a rentable, permanent one, which makes it worse:

harr

I know that area fairly well and have used that campsite before. It’s basically wild camping in fantastic location and the beach belonging to camp site is lovely.
Where the caravan was parked is fairly exposed but it’s a fairly small drop down to the beach.
The caravan must have been lifted up and slammed into the rocks rather than just blown over.
It’s definitely not a location I would want to be in during today’s wind..
I don’t even think the campsite has proper pitches for caravans just park where you wish.

nacho libre

There was five trees knocked down in the home place- that's the most damage we've had from a storm in a good few years.

firemansam4

Donegal Storm wrote:

Went up to the cliffs for a look earlier, fairly wild up there but no different to a typical winter storm really, was pouring rain as well so couldn't get any worthwhile video or pics.

Where about in Donegal are you located?

Here in Convoy it seemed to hit quite hard for a while, a few trees down locally and the fence on our estate is down. Seemed to be stronger than anything else we've had the last year or two anyway.

gozunda

spookwoman wrote: »

Most of the sites are back a good bit, a few would be on the inlet looking at trip advisor complaints is a laugh, Its an eco site low impact so you do have to pre book and not 5 star and I saw a review there complaining the grass was long and they got mice in their tent. Thats what happens when you camp you get mice bugs and flies.
here is a link to the streetview of the mai camp area https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.5236326,-10.1337602,3a,75y,93.33h,98.78t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIBIcKGP-tgRUCbUMcqtmFQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The site the camper was on doesn't have the protection of the dunes

Is the above photo - the same location as the photo shown below by RTE?

https://img.rasset.ie/0010a536-614.jpg?ratio=1.78

Btw the Sand dunes referred to comments on some tripadvisor reviews relating to tents & not the site of the caravan.

Artane2002

nacho libre wrote: »

There was five trees knocked down in the home place- that's the most damage we've had from a storm in a good few years.

Is the home place London or Ireland?