Met Éireann inform us:

STATUS RED

Wind Warning for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo

Warning update.
It will become stormy later today and for a time tonight, in coastal counties of Connacht and west Ulster, with severe southwest winds with mean speeds of 70 to 90km/h and damaging gusts of 120 to 150km/h, strongest in exposed coastal areas. Very high seas also.

Issued:

Wednesday 18 December 2013 09:00

Valid:

Wednesday 18 December 2013 15:00 to Thursday 19 December 2013 03:00

STATUS ORANGE

Wind Warning for Cavan and Clare

It will become stormy for a time later this afternoon and evening, with severe southwest winds, gusting 100 to 120 km/h, strongest in exposed areas.

Issued:

Wednesday 18 December 2013 10:00

Valid:

Wednesday 18 December 2013 15:00 to Wednesday 18 December 2013 23:59

STATUS YELLOW

Wind Warning for Remaining counties

Very windy later this afternoon and evening with very strong and blustery south veering southwest winds and gusts of 90 to 100km/h
Valid 1500 to 2400h

Issued:

Wednesday 18 December 2013 10:00

Valid:

Wednesday 18 December 2013 15:00 to Wednesday 18 December 2013 23:59

Explanation of new warning levels

Weather Warnings are presented in three categories:

  1. STATUS YELLOW – Weather Alert – Be Aware 

    The concept behind YELLOW level weather alerts is to notify those who are at risk because of their location and/or activity, and to allow them to take preventative action. It is implicit that YELLOW level weather alerts are for weather conditions that do not pose an immediate threat to the general population, but only to those exposed to risk by nature of their location and/or activity.

  2. STATUS ORANGE – Weather Warning – Be Prepared 

    This category of ORANGE level weather warnings is for weather conditions which have the capacity to impact significantly on people in the affected areas. The issue of an Orange level weather warning implies that all recipients in the affected areas should prepare themselves in an appropriate way for the anticipated conditions.

  3. STATUS RED – Severe Weather Warning – Take Action 

    The issue of RED level severe weather warnings should be a comparatively rare event and implies that recipients take action to protect themselves and/or their properties; this could be by moving their families out of the danger zone temporarily; by staying indoors; or by other specific actions aimed at mitigating the effects of the weather conditions.

http://www.met.ie/nationalwarnings/default.asp