A status orange wind warning is in place for Waterford this evening because of the arrival of Storm Ellen.
The notice takes effect in Waterford some after 8 o'clock tonight until 5am Thursday morning.
Waterford Council is deploying temporary flood defences and putting response staff on standby, while the Tramore Prom has been closed.
Director of Waterford Council's Roads and Environment Services, Fergus Galvin said: "What we're looking at is a relativity short and small but potentially very severe and very powerful storm coming in to the southern coast of the country."
Met Éireann also says it won't be safe for people in Cork to go outside tonight when a status red wind warning comes into effect.
Very severe and destructive winds are forecast for the county between 9pm and midnight.
Fergus Galvin added that parts of West Waterford may also be hit by Cork's red weather warning: "It's quite possible that the western part of the Waterford coast will fall into that zone later on tonight depending on the track of the storm."
Waterford City and County Council issued the following statement this afternoon:
Storm Ellen is expected to affect Waterford later this evening from 8pm and will be most impactful from
11pm through the night to early morning. Storm Ellen is forecast to be an exceptional weather event
for this time of year and coupled with spring tides and gusts up to 120 KPH will pose a significant risk to
people and property.
The Severe Weather Assessment Team at Waterford City and County Council was convened earlier
today, Wednesday 19th August 2020, and will continue to monitor and review the information from
advice from NDFEM throughout the event itself.
The advice to the people of Waterford and those visiting our City and County during this busy tourism
period is to keep away from shorelines, cliffs, piers and any exposed coastal or tidal areas. If you are
CAMPING, staying in a CARAVAN or CAMPERVANS are advised to move away from coastal areas and if
possible to return home. The Lower Promenade at Tramore will be closed from 4pm today (19.08.2020)
and all lifeguarding services will be withdrawn at close of business today and will be reviewed
tomorrow.
Please remove any outdoor furniture and equipment from outside homes and businesses and
construction sites in particular are being asked to secure and material which could be moved by the
strong gusts.
Flood defences have been erected and some coastal flooding is expected due to the current spring tide
conditions, storm surges and southerly wind direction. The weather event will be a fast moving and
short lived event with potential gusts up to 120 KPH and rainfall of 25 – 50 mls overnight. Flood
defences have been erected across Waterford City and outdoor crews will be on call and will respond
where safe to do so.
Our phone lines will be manned overnight and we ask members of the public to use the 0761 102020
number in the event of emergencies ONLY.
Waterford Council urges you to take particular care early tomorrow morning (Thursday) if travelling as
tree and structural damage can be expected along with localised flooding on roads.
