OPHELIA UPDATE: Many services closed as storm approaches Midlands
The worst storm to affect Ireland in over 50 years is expected to reach the Midlands early this afternoon.
As of 10.30am in Athlone, the streets were already quiet but the weather was still calm.
That is expected to change very dramatically in the coming hours, with "violent and destructive gusts of 120 to 150 km/h" forecast by Met Eireann.
Heavy rain is also expected, which could lead to flooding in some areas.
Cathal Nolan of the Midland Weather Channel told our sister paper, the Westmeath Examiner, that ex-Hurricane Ophelia will start to reach its intensity over Westmeath, Offaly and Longford from midday onwards and this will continue until around 8pm.
"I would advise people, if they are in work, to leave now as soon as they can. If they leave at normal office hours, 4-5pm, they will be driving home during the peak of the storm," he said.
Hurricane Ophelia is "unprecedented" in history of Irish weather, according to Cathal.
"The last time we had a hurricane in Ireland was 1961 and most of us are not around long enough to remember that.
"Gusts of 160kph will see trees felled. There's plenty of foliage on them and there has been plenty of precipitation the last few days, so the ground is soft. This represents the biggest threat to life. Then there's bins and slates off roofs."
He advised people to remain indoors, stating that this will be a "life threatening" storm.
Lots of services and businesses locally have taken the decision to close for the day. Here is a partial list:
* All schools and colleges nationwide are closed for the day.
* Westmeath County Council's offices are currently open but it has asked the public to "limit their interaction to essential matters today."
* All of Westmeath County Council's visitor, sports and library facilities are closed, and all prearranged public meetings and planned works have been cancelled.
* Roscommon County Council's crisis management team met this morning to discuss the storm. The council is closing its offices to the members of the public from 11am today and will reopen tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9.30am.
* No Bus Éireann services are operating anywhere in the country until at least 2pm today. Check www.buseireann.ie for details of any service resumptions as the day goes on.
* The Athlone Towncentre shopping centre is closed.
* Some stores in the Golden Island Shopping Centre were open for a time this morning but all were closing for the day at approximately 12 noon.
* Many other shops and businesses, including Burgess Stores, Dunnes Stores, Penneys, and Supervalu MOPI are closed today.
* All Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection offices are closed.
* Driver Theory Test, Driving Test, and National Driver Licensing (NDLS) centres will remain closed for the day.
* All outpatient hospital appointments have been cancelled for Monday. The HSE stated that patients do not need to attend or contact their hospital and their appointments will be rescheduled as soon as possible.
* All trains serving Athlone station are now suspended until further notice.