Number of national parks to temporarily close as Storm Erik to hit country tomorrow

A status orange wind warning for Galway and Mayo has been issued by Met Éireann today.

A NUMBER OF national parks and woods in the west of Ireland are to be closed for the duration of Met Éireann’s status orange warning over the coming days.

A status orange wind warning for Galway and Mayo has been issued by Met Éireann today. It will be valid from 5am to 1pm tomorrow.

Met Éireann also issued a status orange wind warning for Galway which will be valid from 9am tomorrow to 6am on Saturday.

All of the country is under a Status Yellow warning from 5am tomorrow morning until 6am on Saturday.

The warnings come as Storm Erik, the fifth named storm of the season, is set to hit to country tomorrow.

Outbreaks of rain will spread countrywide tonight. The rain will be persistent and heavy in places. Increasingly windy overnight, with south to southwest winds increasing strong to gale force and gusty by morning with stormy conditions likely near Western coasts towards dawn. pic.twitter.com/rvAH35JBBw
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) February 7, 2019

Met Éireann / Twitter

Met Éireann says tomorrow will be very windy, with the possibility of storm-force winds along parts of the coast.

Southwest to west winds will reach mean speeds of 65 to 80 km/h with some severe or damaging gusts of 110 to 130 km/h.

This will include potentially damaging gusts near the west coast through the morning and early afternoon and the added threat of coastal flooding due to very high seas.

As a result of the orange weather warnings, all National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) properties in the western region will be closed for the duration of the warnings.

Sites that will close include:

Connemara National Park
Wild Nephin Ballycroy National Park
Derryclare Nature Reserve
Old Head Nature Reserve
Knochma Wood, near Tuam, Co Galway
Laughil Wood, near Pontoon, Co Mayo

The NPWS noted that other properties around the country may remain open but warned visitors to be careful.

It asked that anyone intending to visit its properties during the weather warnings be aware of additional risks and hazards, such as falling or fallen trees, flying debris, trips and falls.

People are being asked to take any necessary preventative action, including avoidance, to minimise the risk of injury.

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