Watch ‘potent' Storm Floris build power as 8 ‘worst' counties pinpointed amid ‘explosive cyclogenesis' fear & Met alerts
The storm is predicted to be exceptionally strong and will arrive tonight, with Met Eireann issuing weather warnings for 14 counties when conditions peak in the early hours of Monday morning.
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Ireland is set to experience a 'glancing blow' from the weather event
Credit: meteologix
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Weather boffins fear a storm of this magnitude could do damage
Credit: .facebook/@WeatherAlertsIreland
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Thousands are attending All Together Now festival in Co Waterford this weekend
And the forecaster has warned that more people than usual are likely to be exposed and impacted by the wicked weather.
A large number of people will be attending outdoor events, camping, holidaying and engaging in outdoor pursuits when Storm Floris hits.
Shock footage shows the powerful storm continuing to build in power out over the Atlantic over the past 12 hours.
Weather Alerts Ireland said: "The fast jet stream is pushing and deepening the low pressure system as it crosses the Atlantic.
"Cloud will build this afternoon before the rain this evening and winds increasing overnight also."
Weather boffins fear a storm of this magnitude could do huge damage to trees full of leaves at the height of summer.
And damage to trees inevitably means damage to electricity poles - which will cause power outages and local disruption to the network.
Cathal Nolan, founder of Ireland's Weather Channel, this afternoon confirmed that Storm Floris is currently developing off the west coat and will continue to deepen on its approach towards the northwest.
Revealing that some spots in Ireland will be hit much harder than others, Nolan said: "As Floris interacts with the jet stream it will quickly deepen, developing into a potent storm as its sweeps through central and northern Scotland.
Met Eireann warn Ireland set for 'unseasonably wet' bank holiday as 'heavy' rain batters amid 110kph 'gale' alert
"The worst of the conditions in Ireland will be reserved for Northwest Mayo, Sligo, North Leitrim, Donegal, Derry, Antrim and parts of Tyrone.
"Here winds could briefly gust up to 100km/h, possibly as high as 110km/h in coastal fringes.
"The winds will be at their strongest between 5am and 10am."
Met Office forecasters have refused to rule out the possibility that Storm Floris could bring with it "explosive cyclogenesis".
'WEATHER BOMB'
The rare phenomen, known as a "weather bomb" occurs when a storm brings a rapid drop in air pressure of 24 millibars, or more, in 24 hours.
A weather bomb last hit Ireland during the devastating Storm Eowyn in January - a storm that led to widespread power outages, travel disruptions, and significant damage, with €200m in damage estimated in Ireland alone.
Nolan warned that Ireland is set to experience a 'glancing blow' from the weather event.
He explained: 'Storm Floris is expected to undergo cyclogenesis.
'That's a deepening of the area of low pressure as it interacts with the left exit zone of a rather strong jet stream that's flown around about 160kph to 170kph above our heads.
'As it interacts with that, it will deepen quite rapidly. And they will reach their peak in parts of the northwest and the north of Ireland as we go through the period from around about midnight right the way through until midday tomorrow.
'That's when the winds will get their strongest at their very peak.'
The weather boffin added: "The impacts in terms of travel and transportation across Ireland is expected to be rather weak.'
STATUS YELLOW WARNINGS
Met Eireann has issued three Status Yellow warnings that will kick in between 2am and 4am tonight.
A yellow wind warning for Clare, Galway, Mayo and Sligo will be in place from 2am until 1pm on Monday.
Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo will be on alert for heavy rain and potential lightning damage from 2am until 10am on Monday.
And Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan and Leitrim will be under a slightly later Status Yellow wind warning, in place from 4am on Monday.
A UK Met Office yellow wind warning is in place for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry until midnight tonight.
It warns Storm Floris is 'likely to bring a spell of unseasonably strong and potentially disruptive winds' to the region.
There is also a small craft warning in place for all coasts of Ireland, while there is a Status Orange warning from Bloody Foreland to Malin Head to Fair Head in the north, which says westerly winds 'may reach storm force 10 at times'.
Storm Floris is expected to hit when most of the country is tucked up in bed and weather boffins anticipate that it will clear quickly.
Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather said: "The good news for bank holiday Monday is the rain will clear East by around 11am and good sunny spells will develop for the afternoon, still windy but wind will slowly ease through afternoon and evening."
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A large number of people will be attending outdoor events when Storm Floris hits
Credit: Alamy
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