Weather Expert Comments On Storm Callum’s Red Alert Possibility

Things are starting to get very serious as Storm Callum gets closer and closer to Irish shores.

On Wednesday night, Met Éireann issued three new weather warnings as a statement about "risk to life and property" was made.

Weather officials are now concerned that some Irish schools "will not be in a position to open" on Friday.

Winds are expected to reach a strong 130km/h as the "violent winds" are due to hit the coastal counties the hardest.

Well-known BBC Weather Presenter, Barra Best has been hard at work examining the path of Storm Callum and the influence it could have on Irish Weather.

When asked about the possibility of a red alert, he said that:

"Ultimately that's Met Éireann's call. At the minute - the latest data holds Storm Callum out to the west of Ireland with the strongest winds to the west.

"It's a case of waiting for the time being."

During Storm Ali, Barra was certain that it would not be upgraded from the orange warning but the expected severity of Storm Callum means that a red alert is very possible but falls at the feet of those at Met Éireann.

Here's how #StormCallum is looking as it comes in tonight. Strongest winds for coastal areas. Warnings are in place. Also, some heavy and persistent rain. pic.twitter.com/sAg7nGQrSD
— Barra Best (@barrabest) October 11, 2018

Above is Barra's moving graphic which shows how Storm Callum's movement is looking for Thursday night.

Speaking on Morning Ireland, Garry McMahon, Galway City Council 's Acting Director of Services said:

"We've been tracking Storm Callum all week with the weather assessment team. We are aware that high spring tides generally have an effect on the city centre.

With the advance notice from the OPW and Met Éireann, we've been tracking the storm and preparing.

"What's facing us overnight and on Friday morning is considerably more than that," he said.

"Fortunately we are practised now when it comes to weather events.

"We are currently installing the portable aquadam at the fish market, as people know it.

"It is a portable dam filled with water to anchor it. We are currently putting it in place this morning and we've installed flood gates at various points in Salthill.

"The most crucial time we're estimating is this time tomorrow morning, at 7.52am we are expecting a high tide of 5.2 metres.

"There is a predicted storm surge behind that of approximately 0.8 metres, which gives us up over six metres.

"There is certainly the possibility of overtopping, that combined with Storm Callum, which is due to hit the west coast of Ireland sometime in the middle of the night, if that combines then we are at significant risk of flooding, in particular in the city centre and that's why we are putting measures in place."

Stay safe out there, folks.

Main image via Barra Best.