Schools to close in Waterford due to Status Red Warning
The Status Red warning brings about the automatic closure of schools in the Déise. Photo: Joe Evans
The extension of the Status Red wind warning to cover Waterford means that schools, childcare facilities, and higher education institutions in the Déise will close during the alert.
The entire country will be under Status Red "danger to life" warnings on Friday as Storm Éowyn is set to bring "severe, damaging, and destructive winds".
The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) has confirmed that the status red severe weather warning calls for the public to ‘shelter in place’ by staying indoors, avoiding unnecessary travel and taking action to protect themselves and their properties.
"Schools, early learning and childcare settings and further and higher education institutions in red-level warning areas will close for the duration of the red warning," the NECG said in a statement.
All employees capable of working from home should be facilitated in doing so, the national group has said: "Only emergency service workers should be leaving home for work, where directed by their employer."
Paul Crone, director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, said to The Irish Times that education institutions look set to close for the full day on Friday due to uncertainty over potential damage, electricity supply and access to transport.
“The official guidance is clear: schools must close for the duration of the red warning, so school leaders are making preparations to close for the full day Friday in all the areas affected,” he said.
“The only small ambiguity is in Cork and Kerry, where the warnings will be lifted earlier. However, it is very unlikely schools will open there either. Principals and caretakers will need to get to the schools after 10am to assess any damage, the road conditions and electricity supply. School buses will not be running, so it is very unlikely they will be in a position to open.”
Met Éireann has issued a Status Red Wind warning for Waterford as gale to storm force winds are forecast for Friday morning, bringing "severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h".
The weather warning is now in place for Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, and Waterford, as Storm Éowyn is due to land in Munster on Thursday night into Friday morning.
The "extremely destructive gusts", the national forecaster has warned, will bring about a "danger to life" as extremely dangerous travelling conditions, unsafe working conditions and many fallen trees are expected to be caused by the conditions.
Met Éireann has also warned those in red warning areas such as Waterford to be prepared for "significant and widespread power outages" as well as potential impacts to communications networks.
The risks in coastal areas have been emphasised as Met Éireann has warned that structural damage may be caused as wave overtopping and coastal flooding in low-lying and exposed areas is likely.
The wind warning is in place from 2am until 10am Friday morning, January 24. The red warning comes into effect just as a yellow rain warning for Waterford from 9pm Thursday until 3am on Friday will come to an end. The heavy rainfall may lead to localised flooding in the Déise.
