Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

'A significant risk to life': Storm Ophelia could have a 'sting jet' with winds of 100km/h

Sting jets get their named from the ‘sting in the tail’ of clouds.

Met Office - Learn About Weather / YouTube

THE MOST POWERFUL storm to hit Ireland in 50 years is closing in on the country and it’s being reported that the storm has developed a ‘sting jet’ – bringing winds of up to 100km/h.

The storm was downgraded from a hurricane in the early hours of this morning, but forecasters are still warning that it will be the most severe weather event to hit the country in over 50 years, and people are being urged to avoid all non-essential travel.

The latest satellite imagery of Storm Ophelia shows what looks to be a developing sting jet on the southeast side the storm, according to meteorologists.

A sting jet is a meteorological phenomenon associated with rapidly developing mid-latitude storms.

The last time a sting jet touched down in Ireland and the UK was 30 years ago to this day during the Great Storm of 1987. It brought with it winds of 115 km/h.

Sting jets get their named from the ‘sting in the tail’ of clouds that is produced as a storm wraps around the centre of an area of low pressure, according to the UK’s Met Office.

A sting jet is usually the most damaging winds of a storm, sometimes reaching speeds of over 100 km/h.

A sting jet will start three or four kilometres above the ground and descends over three or four hours.

“Although the strongest winds occur for only a short period of time in a very small area, perhaps only thirty miles across, they can cause significant damage and risk to life,” the Met Office said.

Speaking to the TheJournal.ie a forecaster from Met Eireann said:

It’s likely to hit the west coast, probably the Galway and Connacht area. The winds will become cyclonic and then westerly, whereas the strongest sustained winds will be along the side coasts, coming into Cork now.

Read: LIVE: ‘A matter of life and death’ – Updates as Storm Ophelia rips through Munster

More: Travel main points: Several train, bus and Luas services suspended

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
59 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John
    Favourite John
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 5:42 PM

    Why don’t the Gardaí have this capability rather than a volunteer organisation?

    80
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kinsaleable
    Favourite Kinsaleable
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 5:46 PM

    @John: they tried but someone mentioned GDPR and data protection.

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Link
    Favourite Link
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 8:51 PM

    @John: During a missing person search, you’d be surprised how much is outsourced to voluntary organisations. Mainly due to the fact that they’re very labour intensive and it keeps Gardai free for their frontline roles, also the infrastructure that CD in particular have is top notch and allows for seamless intra-organisation communication.

    25
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Roger Camp
    Favourite Roger Camp
    Report
    Nov 27th 2018, 7:48 PM

    @John: cos theyre too dim to pilot somoethig. Like these high powered things

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Liam Carlin
    Favourite Liam Carlin
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:19 PM

    You need a drone license?

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Vocal Outrage
    Favourite Vocal Outrage
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:50 PM

    @Liam Carlin: yes, unless you are operating a drone of less than 1kg in Uncontrolled Airspace, below 400ft, in visual flight rules, line of sight, but not further than 300m away, and not over or within 30m of people or vehicles and within a flight area you can control, nor over urban areas. For everything else you need a license, its actualkt quite strict but many flout the rules.
    check out https://www.iaa.ie/general-aviation/drones/drone-regulations-guidance

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John P
    Favourite John P
    Report
    Nov 26th 2018, 11:21 AM

    @Vocal Outrage: where’s a good place to do training?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Conroy
    Favourite Alan Conroy
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 11:51 PM

    Paul Kehoe isn’t the defence minister, Leo is. Paul is a junior minister, very very junior.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chief
    Favourite Chief
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:12 PM

    Couple of questions for ye folks.

    1. What’s the flight time on that type of drone?

    2. Anyone know the make & model of the car/jeep in the background?

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shane Halpin
    Favourite Shane Halpin
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:17 PM

    @Chief: the 4×4 is a land rover discovery, the drones we use are DJI inspire, Yuneec typhoon and DJI matrice drones, so all spec can be found on their websites

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chief
    Favourite Chief
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 6:54 PM

    @Shane Halpin: thanks Shane. Reason I asked about the land rover was I did a reverse image search on the drone picture and Google came back with ford escape hybrid as the result. Though it was impressive seen as the image only shows a vehicle wheel. On the drones,, I had a phantom 1, 3 and 4 myself for a while max flight time about 24 minutes, looks like that one in the image after I looked it up does around 37.

    7
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Carolan
    Favourite John Carolan
    Report
    Nov 25th 2018, 7:14 PM

    @Chief: I’m guessing google picked up the outline of the landrover badge, it’s the same shape as the ford badge…

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel Donovan
    Favourite Daniel Donovan
    Report
    Nov 26th 2018, 6:47 PM

    Another way to spy on us stupid sheep.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds