Road safety alert: Orange weather warning issued for Storm Ali

Storm Ali is moving towards Northern Ireland.

The counties that will be most affected are Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Meath, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Clare and Kerry.

South to southwest winds veering westerly will increase to mean speeds between 65 and 80 km/h with gusts between 110 and 120 km/h for a time in some areas. Winds strongest along Atlantic Coasts at first but will extend further east later in the morning.

The RSA is asking road users to check local weather and traffic conditions and be aware of the conditions before setting out on a trip.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) in the Republic of Ireland is asking road users to exercise caution while using the roads on Wednesday as Met Ã‰ireann has issued an orange weather warning for strong winds for Ireland as Storm Ali approaches

The RSA has the following advice for road users:

* Beware of objects being blown out onto the road. Expect the unexpected.

* Watch out for falling/fallen debris on the road and vehicles veering across the road

* Control of a vehicle may be affected by strong cross winds. High sided vehicles and motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable to strong winds

* Allow extra space between you and vulnerable road users such as cyclists and motorcyclists

* Drive with dipped headlights at all times

Advice to pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists:

* Be seen. Wear bright clothing with reflective armbands or a reflective belt.

* Take extra care when crossing the road or cycling in extremely windy conditions as a sudden gust of wind could blow you into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

For advice on using the road in severe weather, please see severe weather advice on the RSA website or check out the RSA Facebook and Twitter pages.

For more weather updates, visit Met Eireann’s website: www.met.ie