Storm Ellen - 19th/20th August 2020

M.T. Cranium · 18-08-2020 7:32am #1

I just finished my forecast prep and discovered that various models are toying with strong developments in the Biscay region within 24-36 hours affecting some parts of Ireland within 36-48 hours, but details vary from model to model so at this early stage it's not possible to give a very precise alert for which regions may see the strongest winds.

The developments are somewhat similar to a near-tropical storm scenario that I recall from this time of year several years ago. That one moved into the Irish Sea.

Impacts are likely to be winds of at least 60 to 90 km/hr and possibly a lot stronger than that, possibly in more than one wave around Thursday and Friday, and locally intense rainfalls rapidly increasing in totals to reach 30-50 mm.

My expectation is that some clarity and model consensus may emerge as early as the 12z model runs later today but it may not be that straight forward.

At the moment, the ECM seems to favour the southwest for peak development while the Arpege model favours the southeast. While the GFS and some other models have considerable wind and rain in their output, they don't necessarily pick up on these particular developments from Biscay, keeping more of a southwesterly origin for their trajectory and no discrete lows.

This may of course be a false alarm so at the moment I am going with a level 1 tag although if some maps verify we will definitely be seeing level 2 impacts at least.

Heavy rainfalls over several days will be falling on top of considerable rainfall that hit similar areas in recent days and this needs to be factored into flooding potential.

DOCARCH · 18-08-2020 8:44am

ME have a weather advisory in relation to same....

Unseasonably wet and windy weather is expected at times this week with further rainfall warnings likely and possible wind warnings.

Windy weather on Thursday and Friday may result in unsafe conditions over high ground, lakes and sea areas.

Darwin · 18-08-2020 12:57pm

I know things will chop and change between now and Thursday, but it is pretty strange seeing the automated wind forecast giving mean wind speeds of 72kmh (laois) at this time of year. I see the UK met office have already issued a yellow wind warning for NI

Meteorite58 · 18-08-2020 2:40pm

ECM has a particurly nasty looking storm running up through the country, on the 06z has it deepening all the way on it's transit from S to NW on this run showing high end Orange or even touching Red warning level for a swathe from the SE and possibly S to the NW. Fast moving system from late Weds or early Thurs and strongest winds look to have cleared the NW early morning.

There is a big spread now in the models, GFS not really showing it, ARPEGE keeping strongest winds along the SE and E coasts, HIRLAM and HARMONIE more into the SW and up along the W coasts. So, far from definite, would expect further changes one way or the other.

Models struggling with this due to it deepening so fast and it moving over the ground so fast.

To note other episodes of strong or very strong winds by the weekend. Could also be heavy thunderstorms, straight line winds giving localised flooding, particurly bad driving conditions at times. Caravan parks and such like in particular would want to watch this closely. High swell coming into the S also.

aisling86 · 18-08-2020 2:45pm

Meteorite58 wrote: »

ECM has a particurly nasty looking storm running up through the country, on the 06z has it deepening all the way on it's transit from S to NW on this run showing high end Orange or even touching Red warning level for a swathe from the SE and possibly S to the NW. Fast moving system from late Weds or early Thurs and strongest winds look to have cleared the NW early morning.

There is a big spread now in the models, GFS not really showing it, ARPEGE keeping strongest winds along the SE and E coasts, HIRLAM and HARMONIE more into the SW and up along the W coasts. So, far from definite, would expect further changes one way or the other.

Models struggling with this due to it deepening so fast and it moving over the ground so fast.

To note other episodes of strong or very strong winds by the weekend. Could also be heavy thunderstorms, straight line winds giving localised flooding, particurly bad driving conditions at times. Caravan parks and such like in particular would want to watch this closely. High swell coming into the S also.

Eagle Point has issues a warning on their Facebook page for southerly gales. Spring tides also from evening 20th until 22nd.
Hopefully more caravan parks do the same as lots on camping with kids page on FB think it will just be a bit wet!

pad199207 · 18-08-2020 2:48pm

Status Yellow - Wind warning for Ireland

Met Éireann Weather Warning

It will become very windy on Wednesday night and throughout the day on Thursday. Severe gusts are likely and there is a risk of some disruption.

Due to the combination of storm surge, spring tides and onshore winds there is a potential risk of coastal flooding.

Valid: 21:00 Wednesday 19/08/2020 to 23:59 Thursday 20/08/2020

Issued: 15:00 Tuesday 18/08/2020

aisling86 · 18-08-2020 2:51pm

pad199207 wrote: »

I’d say Met Eireann are terrified to issue any warning as of yet. Much to be resolved in such a short space of time.

Advisory is up on website now. https://www.met.ie/warnings

SleetAndSnow · 18-08-2020 2:51pm

Debating going down to west cork near Rosscarbery or staying in the City to see the strongest winds, presume try to go down west? House is next to the coast! Just looks like cork city will see stronger winds on the map though

aisling86 · 18-08-2020 2:52pm

SleetAndSnow wrote: »

Debating going down to west cork near Rosscarbery or staying in the City to see the strongest winds, presume try to go down west? House is next to the coast! Just looks like cork city will see stronger winds on the map though

On current track just missing us currently in macroom & contemplating heading to my mothers in the city to see what it's like!

Akrasia · 18-08-2020 3:17pm

Thanks for this thread, I'll need probably need to make a trip west tomorrow afternoon to secure our caravan before this arrives

sryanbruen · 18-08-2020 3:32pm

Status Yellow - Wind warning for Ireland

It will become very windy on Wednesday night and throughout the day on Thursday. Severe gusts are likely and there is a risk of some disruption.

Due to the combination of storm surge, spring tides and onshore winds there is a potential risk of coastal flooding.

Valid: 21:00 Wednesday 19/08/2020 to 23:59 Thursday 20/08/2020

Issued: 15:00 Tuesday 18/08/2020

Meteorite58 · 18-08-2020 6:44pm

ECM 06Z. ARPEGE 12Z and UKMO quite grouped together, American models not showing it. Very severe on these runs, ECM 12Z out shortly will see if it holds.

Must be noted ICON doesent have it to this extent, HIRLAM-FMI more bringing it up along the W coasts . HARMONIE more like the ECM now but not as strong but still rough.

UKMO 0Z

Meteorite58 · 18-08-2020 6:55pm

Going to be a rough few days, flooding potential and thunderstorm potential.

GreeBo · 18-08-2020 6:59pm

We've just had a number of crazy heavy showers followed by bright sunshine in South Dublin.
A random basin in my garden has over 3 inches of water in it since Sunday.

squarecircles · 18-08-2020 7:01pm

The Irish sub tropical cyclone/hurricane season seems to be starting earlier and earlier each year,must be all that exceptional heat in the atmosphere to our south.

Meteorite58 · 18-08-2020 7:02pm

UKMO 12Z is out and no downgrade that is for sure, will the ECM 12Z match it.............

JanuarySnowstor · 18-08-2020 7:07pm

Guys this is unreal and come out of nowhere!!
The conditions shown by some models warrant a red for sure in the South

ninebeanrows · 18-08-2020 7:08pm

The EC 12z is insane

aisling86 · 18-08-2020 7:15pm

My aunt has a summer house next to Garrrylucas beach & I've told my mother to tell her get back home to the city! It's insane looking!

Meteorite58 · 18-08-2020 7:22pm

Gulp :eek:

Shift in track over more to the W. Self explanatory how severe that would be. Both UKMO and ECMWF must surely be taken very seriously now. An absolute bomb.

No doubt down to the wire with the track and strength of this but rarely do you see a storm as strong as this being shown so near to the event and especially this time of the year.

pad199207 · 18-08-2020 7:22pm

Very Ophelia

sdanseo · 18-08-2020 7:23pm

No captions required really, but I don't think I've ever seen the ECM forecast +200km/h gusts at this range.

Note first image is MEAN speed. Not quite a tropical cyclone but has at least the appearance of a distant cousin.
Not often that you can see the entire cylonic movement by advancing just a couple of frames.

M.T. Cranium · 18-08-2020 7:26pm

Is there some remnant energy of Kyle moving into the development zone? I was almost on holiday the past 4-5 days and only noted Kyle was somewhere around 40N moving east during its brief cycle. Then I looked at 12z CMC map and noticed a low heading east towards northern Iberian peninsula just to the north of Azores? Trigger for this postulated event?

Mods, of course feel free to amend my thread title and risk category as you wish, I will be out of the loop most of the day.

Gruffalux · 18-08-2020 7:28pm

Those gifs make it look as though all up tge country will be affected not just south? Is that so? Midlands and west too?

sdanseo · 18-08-2020 7:32pm

M.T. Cranium wrote: »

Is there some remnant energy of Kyle moving into the development zone? I was almost on holiday the past 4-5 days and only noted Kyle was somewhere around 40N moving east during its brief cycle. Then I looked at 12z CMC map and noticed a low heading east towards northern Iberian peninsula just to the north of Azores? Trigger for this postulated event?

Mods, of course feel free to amend my thread title and risk category as you wish, I will be out of the loop most of the day.

I read something on Twitter (and I thought also here) about the tail end of Kyle mixing things up this week. But dismissed it as the usual non-event.

pad199207 · 18-08-2020 7:34pm

‪Earlier on today aparantly a woman rang the bbc and said she heard a hurricane was on the way...‬

Reckless Abandonment · 18-08-2020 7:37pm

Typical 2020.. drop a hurricane on us with 24 hours notice..

dsmythy · 18-08-2020 7:37pm

M.T. Cranium wrote: »

Is there some remnant energy of Kyle moving into the development zone? I was almost on holiday the past 4-5 days and only noted Kyle was somewhere around 40N moving east during its brief cycle. Then I looked at 12z CMC map and noticed a low heading east towards northern Iberian peninsula just to the north of Azores? Trigger for this postulated event?

Mods, of course feel free to amend my thread title and risk category as you wish, I will be out of the loop most of the day.

Glad you mentioned it. I was looking at it here wondering how is this possible.

SEPT 23 1989 · 18-08-2020 7:38pm

If it moves east towards Dublin it might even get a mention in the news

pad199207 · 18-08-2020 7:40pm

Met Eireann for tomorrow night currently

“Wind warnings are in effect for Wednesday night when very windy or stormy conditions are expected to develop.”

SleetAndSnow · 18-08-2020 7:42pm

Think I might head down to my house in West cork so if this is the case!

Storm Ellen - 19th/20th August 2020

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