THERE HAVE BEEN reports of a “tornado” in Co Wexford today amid a gale force wind warning for some coastal counties.

Met Éireann notes that “Ireland is not immune to tornadoes”, while TORRO (The Tornado and Storm Research Organisation) issued a warning earlier today for “isolated tornadoes” over Ireland and parts of Britain.

TORRO Convective Discussion 2022/015 issued valid until 2000 GMT Wednesday 2nd November 2022. https://t.co/tt2BEX87CM pic.twitter.com/W5PgRHRKFS

— TORRO (@TorroUK) November 2, 2022

Speaking to South East Radio this afternoon, local farmer Willie John Kehoe said it looked like a tornado had left a “path of destruction” in its wake in parts of the Foulksmills and Clongeen area of Wexford.

He told the radio station: “Significant damage was done in the afternoon, it looks like a tornado came through and levelled the whole farm-yard.”

Kehoe added that it left a “pure path of destruction” and that it “had to be seen to be believed”.

Kehoe also noted that trees that had stood for “hundreds and hundreds of years” had been destroyed.

Wexford County Council issued a warning to road users this afternoon due to fallen trees and localised flooding in the area.

Alan O’Reilly of Carlow Weather told The Journal that while tornadoes are “usually small scale events in Ireland and short lived”, they can “produce severe impacts in small areas”.

In a tweet, O’Reilly added that locals reported the suspected tornado hitting between 1pm and 1:30pm, with damage caused to many buildings and a large number of trees down.

I’ve been sent this footage now from near the Foulkesmill area of Wexford where a suspected Tornado hit today. Locals report it hitting between 1pm and 1:30pm with damage to many buildings and large number of trees down. pic.twitter.com/hSGUMBcMVb

— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) November 2, 2022

Elsewhere, a status yellow wind warning was in place today for counties Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, and Sligo.

It was valid until 9pm and Met Éireann warned of “strong to gale force winds”.

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