More than 55,000 homes and businesses are without power this morning due to Storm Eunice, as parts of the country manage the fallout of the bad weather event.
Power cuts – which are affecting 55,000 ESB customers – are most widespread in Kerry and Cork while Clare, Limerick, Offaly, Waterford, Carlow, Donegal, Wexford, Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon have also been affected.
ESB networks say crews are working to restore power in impacted areas and the full extent of damage to the network will be known by midday.
Met Éireann has extended a Status Yellow snow and ice warning for the entire country until 10 am tomorrow.
Schools and colleges in nine counties – Clare, Cork, Kerry, Waterford Donegal, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, and Roscommon – will remain closed today, as the storm moves across Ireland bringing “severe and damaging” winds.
A Status Red wind warning is in place for Waterford until 11 am, indicating the weather conditions pose a risk to life.
A Status Orange wind warning is in place until 11 am for Munster as well as Galway, Dublin, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Laois, and Kildare.
An orange alert for snow has also been issued for Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, and Roscommon. It will be in place until 3 pm.
Status Yellow Wind and rain warnings are in place for the rest of the country until 6 pm. A yellow snow warning is in place until 10 am tomorrow.
Road users have been urged to be careful as fallen trees are creating dangerous conditions.
We’ll be adding updates here as the morning progresses, so stay with us…
The chair of the National Emergency Co-Ordination Group said the storm is starting to peak in Cork and Kerry.
Met Éireann Meteorologist Liz Coleman has said the center of Storm Eunice will start tracking eastwards during the course of the morning.
Speaking on the same program, she said there will be very strong winds up until 11 am as the storm tracks across the country.