Storm Debi has arrived to Ireland, bringing with it severe and damaging winds.
Debi is the fourth storm to hit the country this winter season, following Agnes, Ciaran and Babet.
Multiple weather warnings have been issued and the public are urged to pay attention to Met Eireann's advice and warning of possible impacts.
Public transport has been disrupted, openings of schools and preschools have been delayed, and some flights have been impacted as well.
You can keep up to date with Storm Debi and the latest developments in our live blog below.
Get the latest RSVP headlines straight to your inbox for free by signing up to our newsletter
Join our new WhatsApp community! Click this LINK to receive your daily dose of RSVP Live content. We also treat our community members to wonderful competitions, promotions, along with great stories. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice
Disruptions to the Luas Green Line in Dublin city centre
Green Line passengers, In order to remove the tree blocking the tracks at Beechwood and to ensure the overhead lines are not damaged, we must turn off the power between St. Stephen’s Green to Balally. It is estimated that this will take three hours to complete. pic.twitter.com/VJ7Sb9oFZL
— Luas (@Luas) November 13, 2023
All schools in two counties will stay closed for the day
AllLouth and Meath Educational Training Board primary and post primary schools in Louth and Meath will remain closed for the day, reports RTE News.
Schools elsewhere in the country are beginning to open after a wet and windy morning.
Met Eireann warns of possible impacts as Status Yellow alert remains in place
#StormDebi
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) November 13, 2023
All warnings are now status yellow
Possible impacts:
- Fallen trees/branches
- Localised flooding including wave overtopping
- Hazardous travelling conditions
Warning details https://t.co/nXGhrFJMwc pic.twitter.com/x6LKkscK4j
Status Orange weather warning lifted early
The Status Orange wind warning for Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow, Cavan, Monaghan, Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway and Roscommon has been lifted, ahead of its original expiry time of 10am.
The Status Yellow alert for the whole country remains in place until 3pm.
Status Red warning expires
The Status Red wind warning for Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Louth, Meath, Wicklow, Offaly, and Westmeath has now expired.
But don't forget a Status Orange alert for Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow, Cavan, Monaghan, Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway and Roscommon is in place until 10am.
A nationwide Status Yellow warning is valid until 3pm.
Met Eireann's weather forecast for the rest of the day
#WeatherToday
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) November 13, 2023
As #StormDebi departs, heavy rain will become confined to Ulster during the morning with sunny spells & showers following to other areas
Highs of 10 to 13 C with strong to gale force west or southwest winds, decreasing fresh later in the day pic.twitter.com/pd29I323e3
Number of power outages on the rise
An ESB spokesperson has said there are now over 60,000 homes, farmes and businesses without power and the number is expected to rise.
RTE News reports that a clearer picture of numbers without power will be evident around 9am.
ESB Network crews will get to work on restoring power once it is safe to do so.
Bus Eireann delay services by an extra hour
An updated statement reads: "Due to the Red Weather warning there will be NO SCHEDULED SERVICES between 5am & 11am in Cavan, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Westmeath & Wicklow. A phased resumption of services will commence from 11am."
When will Storm Debi end?
Storm Debi is currently wreaking havoc across the country.
While Status Red and Orange alerts will expire this morning around 10am, it is important to note a Status Yellow alert is in place until 3pm today and the public should exercise caution and take Met Eireann's advice until the storm passes.
Storm Debi update for North East counties
Speaking on Morning Ireland, Met Eireann forecaster Gerry Murphy warned that counties Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan won't experience their strongest winds until later on this morning.
Are flights in Ireland affected by Storm Debi?
Dublin Airport said in a statement this morning: "Dublin Airport is open & operational this morning. As of 6am, 4 incoming & 4 outgoing flights have been cancelled. Some disruption is possible today as a result of #StormDebi. Passengers are advised to contact their airline for updates on specific flights".
At the time of publishing, Shannon Airport remains operational and all flights are operating normally.
Thousands of homes left without power this morning
As expected, there have been a number of power outages this morning due to Storm Debi.
Almost 10,000 homes are without power across the midlands this morning across the midlands in counties such as Longford, Laois, Westmeath and Offaly.
Louth is also experiencing power outages.
Bus Eireann and Luas won't run until 10am
Bus Eireann said in a statement: "Due to the Red Weather alert services in Cavan, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Westmeath & Wicklow won't run from 5AM -10AM on Monday at which point they will resume on a phased basis We advise intending customers to check our website for service updates."
While Luas said: "There will be no Red or Green Line services operating this morning, Mon 13th Nov, from first tram until approx. 10am due to Storm Debi. Real time updates will be provided to customers for the duration of this disruption. Please see https://luas.ie/travel-updates/ for more info."
Irish Rail operating on a delayed service
If travelling by train this morning, expect delays
#StormDebi
— Iarnród Éireann (@IrishRail) November 13, 2023
Speed restriction of 50mh/80kh in place across the entire network this morning due to weather alerts.
ALL services are currently operating on all routes. However, delays to services are expected. I will provide updates as information becomes available. -AD
Schools, preschools and creches asked to stay closed until 10am
Delayed openings for schools today. The Department of Education is advising parents and schools to monitor weather conditions locally as the morning goes on as some schools won't be able to open by 10am.
Status Red warning extended for some counties - here are all the weather warnings in place
Status Red - Wind warning for Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Louth, Meath, Wicklow, Offaly, Westmeath - extended until 9am.
Status Orange - Wind warning for Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow, Cavan, Monaghan, Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway, Roscommon - valid until 10am.
Status Yellow - Wind & Rain warning for Ireland - vaid until 3pm.
