A “status orange” weather warning will come in to effect on Monday at 9am as Ireland prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Ophelia.
While the hurricane is expected to change form and have the effect of a tropical storm as it passes through, there is still a risk of power outages and some structural damage.
Forecasters predict that the midlands will experience the worst of the storm between 11am and 6pm with gusts of up to 140kph possible.
While we can hope that the impact of the storm is weaker than some forecasts suggest, it is still a good idea to prepare yourself and any vulnerable family members and neighbours for the worst – just in case.
Wet and windy conditions can have a major impact on braking speeds. Please drive at a suitable speed, beware of debris on the road and allow additional distance between yourself and other vehicles.
Connection permitting, I will post any notified local updates on the Delvin Westmeath Facebook Page. Feel free to message me via that page if you come across hazards on local routes or you experience a power outage.
Stay calm and stay safe!