The Irish Coast Guard is appealing to all mariners and coastal communities to be mindful of the severe weather warnings and to note the imminent arrival of Storm Barra.
The coastguard is also appealing to anybody considering any form of coastal or open water recreation to be mindful of the risk posed by forecasted Storm conditions.
Walkers are advised to avoid any exposed areas, including seafront and cliff walkways, as they may be hit by sudden gusts, exposing themselves to unnecessary danger.
All other forms of open water recreation should be avoided, including by experienced practitioners, as it may result in arousing public concerns and causing rescue services to be alerted.
A small craft weather warning is already in place and Met Éireann is forecasting that gale to storm force southeasterly winds will extend to all coastal areas from early Tuesday, veering west to northwest in direction later.
As reported earlier on Afloat.ie, winds are forecast to reach Violent Storm Force 11 on Irish coastal waters from West Cork to Galway. The combination of southeasterly winds, spring tides and low pressure provide for an increased risk of localised flooding.
Coastguard operations manager Micheál O’Toole appealed to the public to remain vigilant, to avoid any unnecessary travel and to monitor Met Éireann weather forecasts.
“Remember: stay back, stay high, stay dry. If you see somebody in trouble on the water or on the coast, dial 112 or use marine VHF Channel 16, and ask for the coastguard.”
