Storm Agnes LIVE BLOG: Woman treated in hospital for hypothermia …

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More than 30 firefighters helped rescue her from the flooded river in Draperstown, Co Londonderry where she was found trapped inside.

It has been reported that she was taken to Antrim Area Hospital and treated for hypothermia and shock.

Storm Agnes also caused some disruption to flights, some ferries and to power lines, with several hundred homes losing power.

And in a post last even NI Road Policing and Safety @NIRoadPolicing advised: “Strong winds, heavy rain and fallen trees are causing difficult driving conditions throughout much of Northern Ireland this evening as Storm Agnes continues.

“Please reduce your speed and exercise caution in all areas”.

This morning (Thursday) a Met Office yellow weather warning for wind ended at 7am.

So far, the highest wind gust in Northern Ireland was 57mph, recorded at Glenanne in Co Armagh.

A car driving through floodwater in Cork. Weather warnings will come into force as the UK and Ireland brace for the arrival of Storm Agnes, which will bring damaging winds and big stormy seas.

In the Republic of Ireland, winds of 72mph (116kmph) were recorded on Sherkin Island in west Cork.

Yesterday morning (Wednesday) the Met Office ^[2] issued a Yellow weather warning for rain – to run alongside a Yellow warning for wind.

The warning for rain is valid from 11am to 7pm today.

And the weather warning for wind is valid from 12 noon today to 7am on Thursday.

A car driving through floodwater in Cork. Weather warnings will come into force as the UK and Ireland brace for the arrival of Storm Agnes, which will bring damaging winds and big stormy seas. Agnes, the first named storm of the season, will affect western regions of the UK and Ireland, with the most powerful winds expected on the Irish Sea coasts.

Flights were cancelled both arriving and departing from Belfast.

On social media a spokesman said: “Due to the adverse weather conditions expected this afternoon, there may be some disruption to flights.

Yesterday forecasters said that ‘heavy rain from Storm Agnes may cause disruption in a few areas’ and the public should expect:

NI weather Advisory Service

Spray and flooding on roads probably making journey times longer

Bus and train services probably affected with journey times taking longer

Flooding of a few homes and businesses is possible

‘A deep area of low pressure, named ‘Agnes’ by the UK Met Office, will move close to the area through Wednesday. Strong synoptic-scale winds will accompany this, and so convective enhancement of winds (which is what this forecast covers) might be hard to pick out from the background winds.

Rainy weather in Belfast City Centre. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

‘Along the cold front of the system, extreme low-level wind shear and modest (but shallow) instability will be present.

‘Hi-res models depict a broken band of precipitation, with swathes of strong wind gusts, suggesting a convective element to the high winds along the cold front. Gusts of 60-70mph are possible along the cold front, associated with such elements.

‘Additionally, large, looped low-level hodographs suggest that low-level mesocyclones might be possible, assuming the shear is not too high for shallow convective to evolve. Should it evolve, then several brief tornadoes might be possible too.

‘The highest risk for the above mentioned phenomena appears to be over portions of the RoI, N Ireland, and into SW Scotland’.

Earlier meteorologists said this morning started with a ‘dry and bright start’, but it ‘will turn wet and very windy during the day, strong to gale force southeasterly winds developing, severe gales around the Irish Sea coast by the end of the afternoon’.

They say the maximum temperature 15 °C.

Tonight is forecast to be ‘wet and very windy this evening, gusts of 50 to 60mph likely, reaching 70mph around the Irish Sea coast’.

‘Winds then turning into the southwest and easing. Minimum temperature 10 °C’.

And tomorrow (Thursday) starts with ‘fresh to strong southwesterly winds, coastal gales at first’.

Meteorologists add that it will be ‘drier and bright for a time with some sunny spells, but heavy showers pushing in from the west in the afternoon’.

It adds there will be a maximum temperature 16 °C.

AND the outlook for Friday to Sunday is ‘bright and breezy with a scattering of showers on Friday’.

‘Dry and bright early Saturday, but rain later. Rain clearing to showers on Sunday,’ they add.

Storm Agnes: What impact will it have on me? – When will it strike? – Where did…
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And local people should expect :

Injuries and danger to life from flying debris are possible

Some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, could happen

Some power cuts are likely to occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage

Road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible. Some roads and bridges are likely to close

There is a small chance of injuries and danger to life that could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties, with a chance of some minor flooding of coastal roads

Storm Agnes is the first storm of the storm naming season, which runs from 1 September to 31 August.

Storm Agnes: Northern Ireland is battered with 80mph winds and rain

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Storm Agnes flooding

References

^{^} Visit Shots! now (www.shotstv.com)
^{^} Met Office (www.metoffice.gov.uk)
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