Met eireann has upgraded its weather warning

Met Eireann has upgraded its wind warning to Status Orange this afternoon.

The forecaster is predicting southerly winds with speeds of between 90 and 130km/h which will be highest in exposed areas.

The weather warning came into affect at 2pm and remains in place until 3pm on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the ESB has said there is a risk of power cuts and it is reminding people not to go near fallen wires.

The ESB said  public safety is the highest priority and customers should never approach or touch fallen or low-hanging wires and powerlines. They want people to ring 1850 372 999 to report downed lines, keep others away from them and also alert the Gardaí/Emergency Services.

The ESB Networks have all of their staff on stand-by to be mobilised when and where required. In the event of damage occurring they will assess the scale of the damage when it is safe to do so and develop a restoration plan based on prioritised power restoration needs.

The ESBs website, Twitter and Powercheck App and local outlets will be kept up-to-date with current information on expected restoration times as the situation evolves and becomes clear.

Customers without power can check for updates on when their fault is expected to be repaired at: www.esbpowercheck.ie, via Twitter at @ESBNetworks or telephone 1850 372 999. Customers should have their MPRN available to access recorded information specific to their location.

In the event of a power cut the ESB is recommending the following precautionary measures:

Never approach broken lines or damaged poles, and keep children and animals away – report damage to ESB Networks at 1850 372 999.

Turn off electric cookers, ovens, irons, etc. if electricity supply is lost, leave a light switched on so you know when power has been restored. Take extra care if using candles, oil lamps or other naked flames, test smoke alarms with fresh batteries and ensure adequate ventilation if using gas heaters.