I did a historical post on the Christmas Eve storm of 1997 so it's only fair that I do a post on the St. Stephen's Day storm of 1998 (for its 20th anniversary today).
This storm had similar gusts to the 1997 storm but on the opposite side of the country. The Christmas Eve storm of 1997 had its maximum wind gusts focused on Munster and Leinster whilst the maximum wind gusts were further northwards with the St. Stephen's Day storm of 1998.
On the 26th December 1998, a deep Atlantic depression with a central pressure of 950mb early on the 27th as it passed over Scotland (and an observation of 955mb at Malin Head) moved rapidly northeastwards during the day becoming explosive cyclogenesis as it reached Ireland. This meant that the storm system had a pressure drop of at least 21mb within 24-hours. In fact, the 955mb at Malin Head was recorded at 1700 UTC on 26th December after recording a MSLP of 1000mb at midnight which meant it had a pressure drop of 45mb in a 17-hour period, more than double the threshold required to be classified as explosive cyclogenesis or a weather bomb. Hurricane force winds were recorded at Malin Head whilst mainly storm force elsewhere in the north causing extensive damage, disrupting transport and power supplies. Due to soil being softened by the heavy rainfall of the preceding months especially October, trees were more vulnerable to the wind than they would normally be.
Maximum wind gusts on 26th December 1998 for selected Irish stations:
Here's another table but from Met Éireann showing the maximum gusts for more stations (plus Northern Ireland) during the storm along with the record max gusts and maximum 10-minute mean windspeeds too.
Irish Times article on 28th December 1998:
Two men are dead and 60,000 homes are still without electricity following the storm which struck Ireland on St Stephen's Day. Wind speeds recorded during the storm were the highest since the tail-end of Hurricane Debbie swept across Ireland in 1961.
The dead men, both of whom were in their early 20s, were killed in separate accidents when their cars were struck by falling trees. Mr Michael Joyce (23), from Claremorris, Co Mayo, died when the car he was travelling in was struck by a tree at Maam Valley in Co Galway on Saturday. The name of the 24-year-old man killed in the other accident at Comber, Co Down, was not being released by the RUC last night.
Winds gusted at hurricane force at the height of the storm. The highest gust recorded was 109 m.p.h. at Malin Head in Co Donegal. According to the Met Office, the worst of the weather affected the north-west, particularly counties Donegal and Sligo and parts of Mayo, Galway, Roscommon and Longford.
Average wind speeds were of storm force, most being recorded as "violent storm force 11", according to the Met Office. The winds were generally stronger than during last year's Christmas Eve storm, although that storm, which mainly affected the south of Ireland, caused more damage, as the area it swept over was more populated.
While the Met Office expects the winds forecast for tomorrow to be less severe than on Saturday, they do "have the potential to be as bad".
Yesterday, some 160,000 ESB consumers in the midlands and the north-west were without electricity. The total without power was expected to be reduced to about 60,000 by nightfall yesterday.
ESB emergency repair crews in the area were being assisted by 150 crews drafted in from the southern region. However, an ESB spokesman said that snow and ice and generally poor weather conditions were hampering repairs. People living in parts of counties Meath, Cavan and Monaghan as well as in parts of the west and north-west were expected to have to wait until later today for power to be restored. Isolated areas where poles were blown down could be without electricity until tomorrow, according to the spokesman.
Telecom Eireann reported damage to its network in the Donegal and Sligo area. The number of people disconnected rose to just under 1,000 at the height of the storm. No more than "a couple of hundred" subscribers are expected to be without a telephone service today.
Several houses and part of a hotel in Co Donegal had their roofs blown off during Saturday's storm. The seaside resort of Bundoran was particularly badly affected, as were houses in exposed coastal locations.
A number of sporting fixtures were cancelled due to the adverse weather conditions. In Co Limerick, the four-day race meeting was abandoned, while the St Stephen's Day fixture at Down Royal was abandoned after the second race.
Householders whose homes have suffered storm damage are being advised by the Irish Insurance Federation that they should carry out temporary repairs to prevent further damage to buildings and contents.
"Householders who have suffered damage should contact their insurers as quickly as possible," the federation said. Many insurance companies have set up emergency "helpline" numbers for their customers and these are listed in advertisements which have been placed in today's national newspapers.
The federation said it wished to remind policy-holders that buildings and contents insurance will cover damage caused by the storm. Insurance companies will also usually meet the cost of temporary repairs, so it is advising householders to retain the relevant receipts from contractors.
Insurers will also pay for the cost of alternative accommodation, up to stated limits, in cases where a home has become uninhabitable due to storm damage. Damage to cars from falling trees, for example, would be covered if their owners have comprehensive motor insurance policies. Thirdparty, fire and theft policies - the type many motorists hold - do not cover storm damage, a spokeswoman for the federation confirmed. She emphasised that storms constitute a typical insurance risk and are not treated as an "act of God".
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/two-die-in-worst-storms-to-hit-ireland-since-1961-1.228917
Satellite image at midday on 26th December 1998.
