Status red sea warning given as Storm Barra set to batter coastlines

Prepare yourselves.

Met Éireann has given a Status Red "violent storm" warning for some marine areas for Tuesday morning as Storm Barra is set to approach the country with severe winds. As the country faces wind that will "come in like freight train", winds are set to exceed 130km/h with heavy rain, high tides and risks of hail, sleet and snow all on the way. With a risk of localised flooding, the national forecaster issued a Status Red marine warning from 3am to 11pm on Tuesday for "violent storm" conditions from Mizen Head to Loop Head to Slyne head. There are currently Status Orange and Yellow marine warnings in place for the east of the country, as well as a Status Orange wind warning for Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Galway on Tuesday also. The rest of the country has been put under a Status Yellow warning. "The low pressure system will rapidly deepen as it tracks north-eastwards over the Atlantic and approaches Ireland on a strong westerly Jetstream", according to Met Eireann. The west and south coasts of the country can expect to be battered by southerly winds as they may reach speeds of 65 to 80 km/h with severe or damaging gusts of up to 130 km/h. "It’s coming in like a freight train on Tuesday morning," Met Eireann forecaster Liz Walsh told Independent.ie. "There will be pulses of strong winds everywhere. It’s going to be a sustained period of strong winds throughout the day," she said. Winds could reach between 90 to 110km/h elsewhere during the day, with "a few blasts in the morning and again in the evening along the east coast, including the greater Dublin area, from around 4pm to 7pm." These winds could be strong enough to take out outdoor Christmas decorations as well as other outdoor furniture. With heavy rain of between 20mm and 30mms expected to fall within six hours, high waves could bring a risk of coastal and localised flooding.