STORM CALLUM: Live updates here

We'll be updating this page through the night and early hours of the morning as Storm Callum makes its way past the west coast and sending storm force gusts across the country over night. Please help keep us informed.

Here's what we know so far.

- Orange Alert kicked in at Midnight last night
- Meath County Council crews are on standby and sandbags are available in Mornington, Northlands Estate in Bettystown if required.
- Schools on alert to close if any risk suspected. No update on position of Dept of Education, individual schools to decide.
- No reports of ESB outages in the County
- Public transport (Bus Services) appear to be operating normally

7:50: The latest satellite imagery from Met Eireann

7:50: 

7:30: 

 

6.40. Gardai advide caution on the N51 between Navan and Slane due to fallen branches and debris.

6am: ESB networks nationwide reporting major outages, particularly along the western seaboard, but so far, none in Meath.

 No updates from Bus EIreann on services being affected. 

Met Eireann says it will be wet and windy today with warnings in place for west and northwest coast. Winds to ease steadily this morning elsewhere with rain clearing to scattered showers. Temperatures 14-16 degrees.

 

23:55 St Mary's Special School will not open tomorrow.

23:45 Teagasc issue advisory for farmers as storm approaches
Be prepared - before the storm
Secure your home - check for loose slates and other items that might come loose during the storm. 
Secure your farm buildings
Ensure stock are in a sheltered, secure area away from trees or buildings
Store or tie down anything that might blow away
Park machinery well away from buildings and trees that may blow over
During the storm
The safety of you and your family is a priority. 
Listen to and follow the advice and warnings from the weather and emergency services
Do not take risks.
After the storm
Check your home for any damage that may need urgent attention
Check for any fallen electricity wires, inform ESB networks immediately if necessary
Check on stock and move them away from from danger (floods, fallen electricity wires etc)
Ensure stock have adequate feed and water
Assess any damage to farm buildings and deal with any urgent repairs as quickly as possible.
Contact your insurance company if necessary
Accept help when offered, and ask for it if you need it.

23:00 Storm Callum has hit across the south west. A gust of 97.3kmh at Valentia Kerry in the last hour with lightning detected off the Southwest coast and Fastnet lighthouse off the Cork coast has seen a gust of 115kmh with heavy rain in the Southwest now. #StormCallum

21:00 - Met Eireann updates Orange Alert Warning

Storm Callum: Status Orange - Wind warning for Dublin, Louth, Wexford, Wicklow, Meath and Waterford
Storm Callum: South to southeast winds will gust to between 100 and 130 km/h, strongest at the coast. Along with a spell of heavy rain and high tides, there is a risk of some coastal flooding.

 

Dept of Education Statement on Schools.

Following on from today’s meeting of the National Emergency Coordination Group, the Department is advising schools and parents as follows; 

Schools and all education centres (universities, IoTs and further education centres)  in areas affected by a status orange alert should remain vigilant, and keep themselves appraised of any hourly and other updates from Met Éireann, and from their local authorities, local radio, and an Garda Síochána. 

In all events, and if in any doubt, schools should err on the side of caution. Schools are empowered to make closure decisions if, in their judgment in the interests of child safety, it is prudent to do so. Any and all decisions about school closures will be informed by, as well as prevailing and predicted conditions, any damage that might have been caused to school buildings overnight or at any time during the storm, and whether such damage, - where it exists, - might present a risk to child safety. 

We will continue to monitor the situation as it progresses and will follow any advice from the National Emergency Coordination Group.

 

 

Meath County Council Statement:

Meath County Council is advising people to take extreme care as Storm Callum is due to land later tonight.
There will be a significant risk of coastal flooding, falling/fallen debris and objects being blown out onto the roads.
Meath County Council crews are on standby and sandbags are available on the Crook road, The Dunes housing estate in Mornington, Northlands Estate in Bettystown if required.