Storm Dave Ireland: Snow alert as Easter events cancelled due to weather
As Easter weekend begins, weather forecasters have issued a yellow wind warning for the entire country, with a risk of wintry showers and even snow in some areas, as winds are expected to reach 100kph along the coasts.
Storm Dave, which was forecast to make landfall in Ireland on Saturday afternoon, is now moving faster than expected and will more than likely hit the Northwest and West of the country sooner.
Parts of the country will see hail and sleet, and there’s also a possibility of some snow showers on high ground, as Storm Dave gathers pace in the Atlantic.
Pic: Jacob King/PA Wire
This yellow wind warning is expected to be upgraded to an orange warning for extremely strong winds, especially in the Northwest, by Saturday afternoon.
The latest weather advice from Met Éireann says Storm Dave will bring very strong southerly winds, veering westerly by Saturday evening, with severe gusts and coastal gales.
The impact of this kind of wind includes fallen trees and branches, which may block roads and make travel difficult. Debris and loose objects that are not secured can be blown away by the wind. There is expected to be wave overtopping around coasts, and people are being advised to stay away from cliffs and coastal paths.
However, there is a small bit of good news, too. The rain should ease by Easter Sunday, and we can expect the day to be bright and sunny in most areas, but also bitterly cold due to the wind chill.
Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather is forecasting heavy rain moving in from the West on Friday evening and very strong winds moving up across Ireland on Saturday afternoon and evening.
Pic: Geoff Caddick/AFP via Getty Images
Storm Dave is still gathering pace in the Atlantic, and there is a risk of an upgrade to the wind warning for parts of the North and Northwest. This is expected to bring a risk of very wintry showers of sleet and snow, especially in the Northwest and on the East Coast.
Residents in the north of the country have been warned of a slight chance of power cuts, which could affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.
Motorists are advised to take extra care when driving this weekend, as the strong winds brought by Storm Dave are expected to make conditions difficult across the country.
Pic: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos
With the roads expected to be extremely busy this weekend as people travel across the country to visit family for Easter, the advice is to take your time, stay alert to other drivers, and stick to the speed limit.
Gardaí are out in force this weekend in an Easter crackdown on speeding and driving without due care and attention.
Easter event organisers have also had to make decisions to cancel planned outings and events for the weekend. The annual Easter Eggscapade event in Blackrock Park in Dublin, which attracts hundreds of adults and children every year, has just been cancelled because of the expected storm.
Organisers said: ‘Met Éireann is forecasting that Storm Dave will bring severe wind gusts, coastal gales and heavy rain tomorrow, Saturday 4 April. In the interests of public safety, we have regrettably decided to cancel our annual Easter Eggscapade event at Blackrock Park, which was due to take place tomorrow from 1-5pm.’
