Storm Francis - 24th/25th August 2020

M.T. Cranium

For some parts of Leinster and the midlands there will be a pause in the storm, which has a fairly extensive flabby central zone, to call it an eye would be inaccurate although later today when the storm compresses due to phasing of upper and lower circulations, a more traditional eye might form (probably over the Irish Sea).

The weather during this pause will not be very inclement but that will end almost instantly when the wrap-around arrives, in the form of squally wind-driven rain, and from then on westerly winds will increase steadily. I'm timing the pause for Dublin as lasting to about 1100-1200h, obviously earlier terminations further west.

Some parts of the south will see a bit of a pause too but less distinct and winds will gradually pick up wherever they do manage to drop off for a while. Strongest winds on the southwest coast are likely around 10-12h with a gradual moderating trend this afternoon. Strongest winds for the east are probably going to arrive about 1-2 p.m. The north will remain in northeast winds that are moderately strong, slowly backing around to north then northwest.

A broken squall line feature is possible within 2-3 hours, and could produce thunderstorms in parts of the midlands and Leinster. I think the more violent thunderstorm potential will be reserved for Britain as the storm phases and they get the full effects of frontal contrasts during maximum daytime heating, but we can't rule out a locally severe thunderstorm somewhere in southeastern counties of Ireland.

DOCARCH

Looks like low/storm centre is over Galway Bay now.

adocholiday

I don't think my part of Wicklow got anything like the rain that was forecast for the area. It rained all night it seems but with little intensity. Let's see what today brings.

Graces7

After a much calmer spell it is back to fierce weather here. Was to the gate then tested the air at the north facing back and wild there.

axe2grind

adocholiday wrote: »

I don't think my part of Wicklow got anything like the rain that was forecast for the area. It rained all night it seems but with little intensity. Let's see what today brings.

My part of Wicklow, near the town, got orange level rainfall, with 35mm since midnight.

fred funk }{

adocholiday wrote: »

I don't think my part of Wicklow got anything like the rain that was forecast for the area. It rained all night it seems but with little intensity. Let's see what today brings.

35mm is not an insignificant amount of rain.

Gaoth Laidir

That's a fair sup of rain that fell in 12 hours.



It's now 979 hPa centred right on the Aran Islands. The strong rear gradient is now getting into the southwest and will move across the country this morning. Strongest winds to come for most, though nothing major. The strongest winds reported at 8 am is 36 gust 48 kt at Sherkin Island.

Storm 10

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

That's a fair sup of rain that fell in 12 hours.



It's now 979 hPa centred right on the Aran Islands. The strong rear gradient is now getting into the southwest and will move across the country this morning. Strongest winds to come for most, though nothing major. The strongest winds reported at 8 am is 36 gust 48 kt at Sherkin Island.

Absoulatey flat calm in Galway not even a gentle breeze

JackieChang

Possibly the most boring storm in the history of ever? At least in Cork city.

Fell asleep to light and soothing rain noises last night. Woke up to dead calm weather now. Sun is splitting the rocks and I will need sunglasses for my drive to work.

SouthWesterly

19mm in North kerry and blowing a gale.

no.8

JackieChang wrote:

Fell asleep to light and soothing rain noises last night. Woke up to dead calm weather now. Sun is splitting the rocks and I will need sunglasses for my drive to work.

You slept like a baby through the worst of the rains so. Heavy rainfall for approx. 4 hours, ending at roughly 02:00.

StackSteevens

StackSteevens wrote: »

I'm worried about my boundary stream (as the wife calls it) or ditch (as my neighbour calls it) flooding the lawn (as the wife calls it) or grass (as I call it)!

It is looking ominously full of rocks, stones and gravel since last week's deluge. I wish I had a digger to clear it out.

Well my boundary stream (or ditch) overflowed overnight and most of the garden (aka "the lawn") is now submerged. A couple of frogs were hopping around earlier, but an evil looking heron has just dropped in so they may not be around for much longer.

HighLine

adocholiday wrote: »

I don't think my part of Wicklow got anything like the rain that was forecast for the area. It rained all night it seems but with little intensity. Let's see what today brings.

Nearly 38mm in Ashford since midnight and the rain had started a few hours before that.

http://www.wicklowweather.com/

nthclare

The sun is shining in North Clare:)

M.T. Cranium

Guidance suggests banded structure in the W-NW flow, some will have persistent heavy showers, others not so much. Probably one strong band across Galway Bay into Clare-galway and north Tipps, east into Leinster by afternoon. More less organized bands parallel to that further south.

Not often in summer that you see almost equally strong east and west winds at either end of the country.

NIMAN

Consistent heavy rain in North Donegal for several hours now.
Winds to match.
No sign of abating.

Bicyclette

Its like the end of November here in Limerick City.

Driving rain, windy and feeling cool.

mikep

Heavy showers and very strong gusts in Thurles at the moment.

beggars_bush

Windy and wet in Achill since around 10pm last night.
Rain has not stopped at all

harr

Calm with light drizzle here in Laois .. dark and feeling that bit colder today. It’s exactly as MT described would happen with little or no wind.

Graces7

Rain is soaking in here. Usually there is a temporary pool by the gate but not a sign of it. Wild out there so no blackberry picking.

Take care all. We out here are getting off lightly.

up for anything

Lashing in Kilkenny. Horrible.

Zeek12

Feels strange to say it (when it was so humid and sticky less than two weeks ago) - but its actually quite cold in Co. Clare this morning.
Have put the heating on for a while which we would almost never do in August.

Very strong W to SW winds blowing outside.
Rain has eased off a bit the last few hours. But it's wet, windy and very miserable out!

Bicyclette

Sounds and looks as if it is getting worse here in Limerick City.

The gusts are shaking fences and I can hear stuff blowing about next door.

Graces7

Zeek12 wrote: »

Feels strange to say it (when it was so humid and sticky less than two weeks ago) - but its actually quite cold in Co. Clare this morning.
Have put the heating on for a while which we would almost never do in August.

Strong W to SW winds blowing outside.
Rain has eased off a bit the last few hours. But it's wet, windy and very miserable out!

Chilly here and the damp in the air . About to try to light the fire but cannot remember which wind direction it will not tolerate.

Oscar Bravo

Wind gone around to the west at Shannon airport with a gust of 45 knots at 1030. Pressure rising rapidly

watlantic

Latest IR satellite with radar overlay shows Francis centred right over midlands now:

SleetAndSnow

Sunny spells in cork city, was up watching the rain at around 1ish and it was very heavy!

Lots of roads in West cork flooded from non river sources just due to very waterlogged roads, bandon and bantry flooded again. West cork has easily seen one of its wettest summers on record at this point.

Gusty this morning now, not "calm' here by any means. Gusting up to about 70-73km/h

Gaoth Laidir

The strongest winds have now shifted from the far south to the far north, with Malin head reporting a 52-knot gust at 11 am, mean speed 39 knots. This is at 18 metres above the ground instead of the standard 10 metres everywhere else.

PsMETAR MALI 251000Z AUTO 05039G52KT 2200NDV -RA BKN006/// 13/12 0986 MSL=

Storm 10

If the centre is currently over the midlands does that mean that big blob of rain to the North will come back down again over parts of the Country like Galway.