What the yellow, orange and red warnings mean
Met Éireann's three warning levels, the figures behind them for wind, rain, snow and temperature, and what to do when one is issued.
Met Éireann issues weather warnings county by county, usually a day or two ahead, in three colours. Yellow means be aware: weather that is not unusual but could catch you out. Orange means be prepared: weather that could disrupt travel, close roads and cause damage. Red means take action: dangerous weather that could put life at risk, and the advice is to stay indoors for the hours it covers. For Northern Ireland the Met Office issues warnings in the same three colours, and this site shows both on the forecast page.
The figures behind the colours
Each colour has published criteria. These are the current ones for the elements that matter most; Met Éireann reviews them from time to time.
| Element | Yellow | Orange | Red |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind, mean speed | 50 to 65 km/h | 65 to 80 km/h | Over 80 km/h |
| Wind, gusts | 90 to 110 km/h | 110 to 130 km/h | Over 130 km/h |
| Rain in 24 hours | 30 to 50 mm | 50 to 70 mm | 70 mm or more |
| Rain in 12 hours | 25 to 40 mm | 40 to 50 mm | 50 mm or more |
| Rain in 6 hours | 20 to 30 mm | 30 to 40 mm | 40 mm or more |
| Snow lying below 250 m | Under 3 cm | 3 cm or more | 8 cm or more |
| Low temperature, night minimum | −3 or −4°C | −5 to −9°C | −10°C or lower |
| High temperature | Afternoons over 27°C | Over 30°C, or nights over 20°C | The orange conditions on two or more nights running |
Fog and thunderstorm warnings have no fixed numbers; they depend on how widespread and disruptive the forecasters expect the weather to be. For the sea there are separate small craft warnings, for winds of Force 6 on the coasts, and gale warnings for Force 8 and above.
How warnings work
A warning names the counties it covers and the hours it runs, and the colour can differ between counties: an orange wind warning for the Atlantic coast will often sit inside a yellow one for the rest of the country. Warnings are issued for the weather itself, not its impacts, so a yellow rain warning after a wet month can cause more flooding than an orange one in a dry spell. Forecasters also publish advisories for weather that does not meet the criteria but is worth knowing about, such as a spell of very cold nights.
A red warning is rare. Until 2025 the whole country had been under red only a handful of times, most memorably for ex-hurricane Ophelia in October 2017. Storm Éowyn on 24 January 2025 brought a red wind warning for every county on the island, and with it a new Irish record gust of 183 km/h at Mace Head in Galway. During a red warning the Government's advice is to stay indoors for the hours it covers; schools, colleges and many workplaces close.
What to do at each level
- Yellow: check the forecast before you travel, allow more time, and think twice about the hills, the sea and long drives at night. Secure anything loose in the garden if it is a wind warning.
- Orange: expect disruption. Avoid unnecessary journeys, keep away from the coast and exposed roads in wind, and do not drive through flood water in rain. Charge phones in case of power cuts and check on neighbours who live alone.
- Red: stay indoors for the hours of the warning. Do not travel, do not go to the coast to look at the waves, and stay away from windows during the strongest winds. Afterwards, treat every fallen cable as live.
Reading wind warnings
Wind warnings quote two figures: the mean speed, which is the steady wind averaged over ten minutes, and the gusts, which are the brief peaks. Gusts do the damage. A gust of 110 km/h brings down branches and loose tiles; 130 km/h fells trees and lifts roofs. The Sports weather page shows how much wind each outdoor activity can take, and the wind and gust layers on the map show where the strongest winds are expected hour by hour.