Storm Ali leaves 2 dead in its wake as Storm Bronagh threatens Ireland and UK, third storm expected on Saturday
Just one day after Storm Ali left two people dead and more than 140 000 homes without power, the second named storm of the season – Bronagh – threatens southern Ireland and central and southern Britain with strong winds and squally rain today and tomorrow, September 20 and 21, 2018. There is also a potential for another storm to form late Saturday into Sunday, September 22 into 23.
An intense low-pressure system, which will develop across parts of Wales and South West England during this evening before spreading further eastwards across England, has been named Storm Bronagh by the Met Office and Met Éireann on September 20.
A frontal zone will bring heavy rain throughout today (Thursday) before the winds strengthen later in the day bringing gale force winds through this evening and overnight into Friday, and possibly severe gales in a few places.
Two Yellow Met Office Weather Warnings are in force, the first is for rain covering Wales and parts of North West England, then later in the day, a Yellow wind warning is also in place for much of England and parts of Wales.
Bronagh will bring wind gusts of 72 – 80 km/h (45-50 mph) quite widely around exposed coasts and in a few spots inland, while some gusts of 95 – 105 km/h (60-65 mph) are possible, particularly overnight into Friday across eastern England. The strong winds will be accompanied by short-lived outbreaks of squally heavy rain in places, UK Met Office said.
There is the possibility of damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs or through falling trees and branches, as well as a danger to life, it warned.
Today's weather system has been named #StormBronagh. Yellow warnings are in force, with heavy rain and strong winds across parts of #England and #Wales pic.twitter.com/BEjJm1Dtyo
— Met Office (@metoffice) September 20, 2018
Bronagh will track up the east Irish Sea and into northern England later today and tonight, Met Eireann said.
Heavy and possibly thundery rain will affect Ireland today and for a time tonight, with a rainfall warning in effect for parts of south and east Munster and South Leinster. Gale warnings are also in effect for sea areas.
Status Yellow Rainfall warning is in effect for Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Cork, Tipperary and Waterford; valid 09:00 LT, September 20 to 23:00 LT of the same day.
Rain will be persistent and heavy at times especially during the afternoon with risk of spot flooding. Totals of 25 to 40 mm (1 to 1.6 inches) are expected, with highest values likely near the coast.
Two people have been left dead by a massive storm in the UK. Among them, a woman who died after a caravan was blown off a cliff. @laurelirving7 #StormAli #7News pic.twitter.com/qGFfb10C27
— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) September 19, 2018
The first named storm of the season – Storm Ali – has pulled away from northern Scotland into the northern North Sea/Norwegian Sea after causing widespread impacts on September 19 across Ireland, Northern Ireland and the north of the United Kingdom. Two people were killed in Ireland and several injured. The storm also left more than 140 000 homes without power.
A wind gust of 146 km/h (91 mph) was recorded in Killowen in County Down in Northern Ireland. This is the strongest wind gust in September in Northern Ireland since records began in 1880s.
#StormAli brought a very wet and windy day across northern parts of the UK, with a gust of 91 mph at Killowen in Northern Ireland. Further south it was drier and warm. Here are the extremes… pic.twitter.com/3U9NmiA7cQ
— Met Office (@metoffice) September 19, 2018
Third storm possible this weekend
The weather remains changeable and disturbed for the coming weekend and there is potential for another storm to form late Saturday into Sunday, September 22 into 23.
The track of the depression is uncertain at this stage and both Met Éireann and the UK Met Office are monitoring developments.
Featured image credit: UK Met Office
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