WEATHER WARNING: Lorenzo to hit Ireland hard, fears of flooding and power outages in Kilkenny

By COLIN BARTLEY

PEOPLE in Kilkenny are being told to prepare for Tropical Storm Lorenzo as it will cause damage.

Lorenzo, which has just been downgraded from a Hurricane to a Tropical Storm, will still bring very high winds and heavy rain to Kilkenny and could cause flooding, power outages, fallen trees and damage to property.

Kilkenny has been issued two Status Yellow weather warnings, both of which come into effect tomorrow morning at 9am.

A yellow wind warning will be in place from 9am tomorrow until 6am on Friday, while a yellow rainfall warning will be in place between 9am tomorrow and 9am on Friday.

Met Éireann said spells of heavy rain will result in flooding in many parts of the country, including in Kilkenny.

Forecasters are saying Kilkenny could be hit with gusts of up to 120kph late tomorrow evening and in the early hours of Friday morning, but did add the storm would have different impacts on different areas and even warned of isolated and violent thunder and lightning storms. People are being asked to heed the advice of their local authorities.

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said at this afternoon’s meeting of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group that Storm Lorenzo will have an “unpredictable impact” on Ireland, with flooding and power outages likely.

A status orange wind warning has been issued for six counties Galway, Mayo, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick who will take the initial impact of the extra tropical storm.

The storm looks likely to travel up the west coast before turning sharply and moving eastwards over the country. Lorenzo will bring strong southwesterly winds with consistent speeds of 65 to 80kph, with gusts of 100-130kph.