STORM ERIK UPDATE - STORM TO UNDER GO EXPLOSIVE CYCLOGENESIS
As storm Erik approaches Ireland today and over the coarse of this evening and tonight the area of low pressure will under go Explosive cyclogenesis also known to many as a weather bomb. Explosive cyclogenesis is the rapid deepening of an cyclonic low-pressure area. The change in pressure needed to classify something as explosive cyclogenesis is latitude dependent. For example, at 60° latitude, explosive cyclogenesis occurs if the central pressure decreases by 24 mbar (hPa) or more in 24 hours. This is a predominantly maritime, winter event. The centre of the area of low pressure named storm Erik is forecast to drop around 40 mbar (hPa) in less than 24 hours which is a massive drop in pressure.
Tonight a band of rain will cross the country moving west to east and will be heavy with the risk of spot flooding and as this rain sweeps across Ireland winds will start to strengthen and becoming windy. Strongest winds will occur between 5am Friday morning to 1pm Friday. But wind will remain very strong across the northwest and north with the strongest winds not easing there until 6am Saturday morning.
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Worst effected county’s will be Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal and Derry especially along coastal region where winds may gust up to 130km/hr within the warning period. Wind along the exposed coastal areas of Galway, Mayo, Donegal and Derry may exceed 130km/hr for a time on Friday morning into the early afternoon with gust close to 140km/hr.
widespread power outages could occur along southwestern, western , northwestern and northern county’s on Friday morning and over the afternoon as the rapidly deepening depression, named Storm Erik by Met Éireann tracks to the northwest of Ireland early Friday morning with an expected minimum pressure of 954hPa at 9am 8th Feb 2019.
Away from Atlantic coastal regions winds will gust up to 90km/hr to 110km/hr with the risk of scattered power outages.
The public should avoid all coastal areas, piers and walkways on Friday into Saturday morning and not put your life at risk as well as others at risk.
Anyone planing to travel by air or sea on Friday morning there is likely to be some disruption and it would be important to check in before travelling
Kenneth Mc Donagh from the Donegal Weather Channel
2019 CALENDAR NOW ON SALE
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