What does Met Eireann mean by a yellow, orange or red weather warning?
The colours are fixed, and they describe impact, not just weather. Yellow means be aware: weather that is not unusual, with localised danger for people in exposed places or out at sea. Orange means be prepared: infrequent weather that can be dangerous and disruptive, with damage and travel problems likely in the counties named. Red means take action: rare and extremely dangerous weather; stay in, expect closures, and do not travel. Warnings name the counties and the hours they cover. An orange wind warning on the coast is a reason to move a cliff walk, not to watch it from closer. Northern Ireland is warned by the UK Met Office, on the same colour scale.
Useful pages: The best time to visit Ireland · Irish weather, month by month · What to wear · Weather in Ireland · Experiencing the Irish coastline · Ireland's national parks · Outdoor adventures in Ireland · Travel notices · Ireland photography tips · Ireland weather guide
Sources
- Met Eireann: weather warning definitions and long term climate averages, met.ie
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