Atlantic Storm Watch & Coastal Flooding Events: January 2014

YouTookMyName

Calm around Dublin airport at the moment.

highdef

But would the addition of the likelihood of severe coastal flooding on windward coasts due to very high spring tides and associated tidal storm surges not push the warning to a red alert???? I would assume that many south and west facing coastal areas should be actively taking action (red alert) rather than being prepared to take action (amber/orange) alert

ninebeanrows

maquiladora wrote: »

The mean wind speeds in the warning (up to 90 km/h) already meets the criteria for a red warning (80+ km/h) but the gusts are up to 130 km/h, not above 130, so thats why it's orange.

An orange warning feels right though since it won't be as severe, as long lasting or as widespread as the storm on the 26th.

Shorter lived, yes, but as a previous poster has alluded to, with the occlusion making more of a land hit on this occasion I feel we will achieve a higher gust than during the Stephen's Night storm with more mixing to the surface. Something near 75kt is achievable in the west around 3am IMO.

A notable swathe of intense 850hPa winds cross the country between midnight and 6am.

- However i do agree an Orange warning is just about adequate although the flooding situation could be very bad in the west.

Harps

maquiladora wrote: »

The mean wind speeds in the warning (up to 90 km/h) already meets the criteria for a red warning (80+ km/h) but the gusts are up to 130 km/h, not above 130, so thats why it's orange.

An orange warning feels right though since it won't be as severe, as long lasting or as widespread as the storm on the 26th.

Yeah the wind is nothing out if the ordinary for an Atlantic storm, coastal flooding might make it worse than your average storm but an orange warning seems about right. A red warning for every standard storm would lead to a cry wolf mentality when we do finally get a 97/98 type storm again

TheMilkyPirate

Harps wrote: »

Nothing wrong with a night time storm but I live 10 minutes from 300m high Atlantic cliffs so it just feels like a missed opportunity when I can't go up to feel the full force of the storm.

Even reading that makes my stomach turn. Would be an experience in a storm though.

JanuarySnowstor

Tide was just under the bridge in the city here at 5pm. High tide at 6:10pm

wretcheddomain

TheMilkyPirate wrote: »

Even reading that makes my stomach turn. Would be an experience in a storm though.

...and by the end of it you'd end up at the bottom of the cliffs.

I've been unlucky enough to walk from Hag's Head to the entrance of the Cliffs of Moher as a storm was in its early stages.

I'd say had we walked to Hag's Head an hour later then by that time it would have been impossible to walk back and we'd end up being trapped inside Moher Tower all night.

ninebeanrows

M6 buoy to 956.3hPa north of the low centre, now with winds southeast gusting to near 33 knots would indicate low centre is at least 950hPa if not below.

Highest winds of course to the south of the low centre.

Lumi

It's already gusting up to 37.4 knots at the Galway Harbour Weather Station and I've just recorded a gust of 35 knots here on the west side of the city
Barometer 976.60 hPa: Falling very rapidly -2.22 hPa/hr

kerrywez

Harps wrote: »

There's usually heavy showers once the front passes through so potential for thunderstorms along the west coast I would think.

Nothing wrong with a night time storm but I live 10 minutes from 300m high Atlantic cliffs so it just feels like a missed opportunity when I can't go up to feel the full force of the storm.

You up near Slieve League then Harps? They are some height, put the Cliffs of Moher to shame, they are but toys in comparison. An old friend of mine reckoned that Slieve League were the highest sea cliffs in Europe, I am not sure, but I do know they are high and well higher than the Cliffs of Moher.

Regards Wez

fryup

so should i go to work tomorrow? looking for an excuse to stay at home

maquiladora

High Tide forecast for the Dublin area

A further series of very high tides are due to occur over the coming weekend, in particular on Friday 3rd January at 12.33hrs and Sunday 5th January at 14.12hrs. As a precaution the flood gates on the Dodder and the Tolka Rivers will remain closed until the middle of the week beginning Monday 6th January. The Liffey Boardwalk will also remain closed to the public during this period.

Flood defences (sand bags) are installed at strategic locations in Clontarf (near Alfie Byrne Road) and Sandymount for the same duration. Public carparks in Sandymount and Clontarf will be closed during this period and the Council apologises for any inconvenience this, or any other precautionary works, may cause.

Property owners at risk of tidal flooding, particularly in the Clontarf and Sandymount areas. are advised to protect their properties. Suitable guidance on flood protection measures can be found on the website www.flooding.ie

http://dublincity.wordpress.com/2014/01/02/high-tide-forecast-for-the-dublin-area-2/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

maquiladora

Some flooding in Cork, doesn't look too severe at the moment anyway. High tide in the morning will be the bigger test I think.

JanuarySnowstor

Looks bad enough maq high tide around now

Oscar Bravo

Good forecast from Joanna Donnelly on radio 1 before 6 and she also pointed out that structures that were damaged in the past few storms may become loose more quickly tonight.

ninebeanrows

The storm looking menacing approaching the west coast.

maquiladora

So here's Cork at just about high tide this evening. With big swells and stronger winds in the morning you can see the risk of the next high tide. Though I think the risk would probably be greater on more western facing coasts.


(@aislinn_stanton on twitter)

JanuarySnowstor

Tivoli docks area quite flooded now.
Ive a feeling the city is worse than thosr photos suggest maq

maquiladora

JanuarySnowstor wrote: »

Tivoli docks area quite flooded now.
Ive a feeling the city is worse than thosr photos suggest maq

Here's a more recent one.

JanuarySnowstor

maquiladora wrote: »

Here's a more recent one.

Yeah looks much worse there

Oscar Bravo

Good forecast from Jean Byrne there. alot of detail in it. Will be nasty enough here in the west after midnight for a couple of hours.

redsteveireland

Oscar Bravo wrote: »

Good forecast from Jean Byrne there. alot of detail in it. Will be nasty enough here in the west after midnight for a couple of hours.

I'll be on the road in Galway around 10 ish, should be home before 11, hopefully it's not too bad before I get home.

ninebeanrows

M6 Buoy now to 953.5hPa with wind due south at 22 knots. Indicating low centre is somewhere sub 950hPa at this point.

Perhaps slightly deeper than expected at this point but not too much difference.

JanuarySnowstor

Reports coming in now on 96fm of pretty bad flooding in the city. Can you imagine next high tide at 7am!!

maquiladora

JanuarySnowstor wrote: »

Reports coming in now on 96fm of pretty bad flooding in the city. Can you imagine next high tide at 7am!!

Sierra Oscar

Aye, quite heavy flooding in the city center being reported on social media.

maquiladora

Some tidal flooding in Kinsale too it seems, though no pictures yet.

The Environment Agency in the UK now has 17 severe flood alerts for Southwest England and Wales.

Red Nissan

Cork City closed, all usual places due to flooding. Nothing too severe reported so far.

Harps

TheMilkyPirate wrote: »

Even reading that makes my stomach turn. Would be an experience in a storm though.

Gets a bit breezy up there all right, here's a clip from a few years ago, wind strong enough to send the waterfall into reverse :pac:

mickger844posts

Very windy and wet here in Waterford City. Average speed 42Km/h Gusting to 65km/h

www.waterfordcityweather.com