French weather chiefs have named a brutal weather system wreaking havoc with the Irish weather today.
While Met Eireann issued numerous weather warnings for the country last night and today, they did not take the step to name the storm, which would have been called Antoni under our system.
However, France has issued Status Orange weather warnings for three regions in the north of their country relating to the same weather system and have named it Storm Noa.
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The outer edges of Storm Noa have brought heavy rain and wind to Ireland this morning with snow even reported on high ground. A video emerged online of heavy snowfall in the Wicklow mountains on Wednesday morning.
Two counties - Cork and Kerry - have been placed under Status Orange weather warning and a Status Yellow wind alert is in place for the rest of Ireland today. Severe winds are set to batter Ireland with Cork and Kerry in for the worst of the conditions as Met Eireann have warned of 'damaging gusts' of speeds of more than 110km/h.
The previous weather warnings in those two counties were upped from Status Yellow to Status Orange last night as the worst of the wind is due in the early morning. The Status Orange alert for Co Kerry is in place from 2am overnight until 8am this morning while Cork’s warning is valid from 6am and will last until 9am today.
Winds will only continue to get stronger for most areas throughout the day and rest of the country is under a Status Yellow wind warning.
The Status Yellow warning for Leinster, Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford is valid from 8am to 8pm on Wednesday. It reads: "Very strong northwest winds developing. Widespread gusts of 80 to 110 km/h expected, stronger in exposed areas."
Another Status Yellow wind warning is currently in place for Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Galway since midnight last night until 3pm on Wednesday.
The national forecaster has warned of the effects of the severe windy weather by the sea, with the alert reading: "Very strong west to northwest winds developing. Widespread gusts of 80 to 110 km/h expected, stronger in coastal areas and over higher ground. Wave overtopping in coastal areas."
Heavy rain and thundery showers will also wash over the country though it will clear up in the west of Ireland in the afternoon.
A Met Eireann forecaster said: "Showers will merge to longer spells of rain at times, with local downpours and the chance of hail and isolated thunderstorms. It will brighten up from the west through the afternoon and evening, with sunny spells and just isolated showers following."
Weather expert Alan O'Reilly has been monitoring the storm as it developed in the Atlantic and shared video from a Twitter user apparently showing snow in Wicklow.
Last night, he dubbed the storm heading for Ireland as "an impressive looking system."
He said it was "really taking shape off the West coast and now moving in over Ireland. An impressive looking system bringing some nasty weather."
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