55,000 people are without electricity as Storm Ali rages on and the storm has already resulted in the death of one woman. While it’s been an eventful day for thousands of commuters, workers, and students around the country, we can all agree on one thing: why wasn’t Storm Ali given a red alert weather warning?
Last year thousands questioned the red weather warning issued for Storm Ophelia, seeing it as more of an excuse to have a bed day rather than a national crisis – though given that the majority of these critics were in Dublin, which was the county least affected by the storm, their complaints felt somewhat inconsiderate. Today however, the east coast has been taking a battering along with the rest of the country.
That’s twice as bad as storm Ophelia ever was in dublin anyway
— toss (@tossdj39) September 19, 2018
@MetEireann need to upgrade their warning ASAP , these winds in Galway are way worse than storm Ophelia , there are trees down everywhere , roads blocked , it’s really bad … #stornal
— Hector (@hectorirl) September 19, 2018
Storm Ali causing more havoc in Dublin than Storm Ophelia. Trees down all over the city! Here’s my ‘front garden’. Stay safe everyone #StormAli pic.twitter.com/1ohbrfw2To
— Niamh Murtagh (@NiamhMurtagh88) September 19, 2018
Is it just me or is Storm Ali a bigger deal than Hurricane Ophelia.?
Certainly feels like it might be here in city centre area.— John Masterson (@theotriangle) September 19, 2018
#StormAli is worse than storm Ophelia ever was in this part of the country.. and every single child is at school and everyone is at work.. Where is the sense of that ?♀️
— Laura (@lauracon23) September 19, 2018
Up and down the country people have been sharing their experiences of Storm Ali and even the National Ploughing Championships has been closed for the day. One Twitter shared footage of a Ryanair flight unable to land during the peak of the 130km gusts of wind:
Scary stuff at Dublin Airport #StormAli pic.twitter.com/vPTosEYmbC
— Eric Duffy (@duffman120) September 19, 2018
Galway
Hit back the storm last night, the West of Ireland is facing considerable damage and is the worst effected by Storm Ali.
@rtenews One of Eyre squares oldest trees has been partial taken down by#StormAli #Galway pic.twitter.com/Ym1FdAXMHX
— The Skeff Bar (@TheSkeffBar) September 19, 2018
Trees down in Galway City #StormAli pic.twitter.com/joVO5VA2SD
— Kieran O Malley (@GalwayPlayer) September 19, 2018
Ahm. Not something you see everyday on the roadside driving into Galway. #anyoneforapaddle #StormAli pic.twitter.com/Owu3rIL1bX
— Dr Niall Mc (@Drniallmc) September 19, 2018
Galway is being hit hard by #stormali – this photo is from Salthill via @CTribune pic.twitter.com/WAhXAMkkDU
— Ciarán Ferrie (@ccferrie) September 19, 2018
Dublin
A portion of the roof in the staff cafeteria at St. Vincent’s University Hospital collapsed due to Ali’s strong winds. The cafeteria was evacuated and will reopen at 12 noon.
The roof on an apartment block in Clongriffin was visibly distressed and lifting during the storm this morning.
Bizarrely, as the storm raged, a man in a hi-vis jacket could be seen using a leaf blower.
#StormAli A leaf blower?? Have a day off pic.twitter.com/wVhIuyKGg9
— Kevin Halpin (@Halpo1985) September 19, 2018
