Met Éireann says next week will be unsettled with strong winds at times and spells of heavy rain and showers

The warning for counties Clare, Galway and Kerry will come into effect at 9pm on Sunday

Wind Energy Ireland chief executive Noel Cunniffe has said the Government needs to act during a ‘decisive window’.

The highest gust recorded was 184 km/h, with the highest 10-minute wind speed reaching 142 km/h at Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station in County Galway.

Wind Energy Ireland said that despite wind supplying nearly a third of all electricity to the island of Ireland last year, the share of electricity provided by wind was down by 3 per cent compared to 2023.

Roads, flights and public transport could be disrupted by strong gusts

The strong winds will peak on Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Kerry, Leitrim, Sligo, Clare, Donegal, Mayo and Galway are under a status-orange warning until 8pm on Sunday.

A status orange wind warning has been put in place by Met Éireann for counties Clare, Donegal, Galway and Mayo

The National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (NDFEM) Crisis Management Team convened a Met Éireann technical briefing on Friday morning to assess possible impacts of the storm

The alerts cover counties in the North and northwest

Forecasters warned the storm could cause further damage to already weakened structures.

ESB Networks confirmed approximately 93,000 homes and business were without power as of 5.30pm

Met Éireann has issued a nationwide warning for strong and gusty southwest winds during Sunday

Heavy rain, strong winds, ice and snow are forecast for the final weekend of 2023

Earlier, more than 3,500 homes and business lost electricity in and around Arklow, Co Wicklow. 

The Taoiseach visited the village on Monday to get a sense of ‘the explosive force of a whirlwind’ that hit on Sunday.

Emergency services were called to a village in Co Leitrim after high winds flattened trees, ripped a roof off a building and scattered debris on a street

The warning will cover Mayo, Galway and Clare