I don't think that's been flagged very much on the forecasts so far but those things are hard to forecast very much in advance. Where do you think it might affect most if it develops?

According to that, we're still likely to see gusts of over 50 mph there even as late as midnight so tomorrow night is still likely to be a wind and noisy one here even with tomorrow night's winds not being as strong as they are expected to be during the day.

Interesting piece on our current storm.

Mind you, I feel that it won't get much worse where I am and won't be all that bad here. I suspect other areas will not get off so lightly. 

I remember it well. Was at school and the teacher was very concerned about our safety getting home. At the time we all thought it was very exciting. I do remember struggling to stand in the wind.  I slept through Oct 87, but I do remember the roar and howling but didnt bother to get up. Only when the lights didnt work in the morning that I realised it was serious

Mace Hd. (West Galway) 80/63 

4am:

Mace Hd. 94/73. 

And as of 3 AM, the beginning of that "temporary" period, it was 56 to 78 - it remains to be seen whether that increases, but even 78 is high that far from the west coast (it's around 30 miles away).

The prize so far goes to the Galway port weather station, which reached 99mph earlier, with a 1-minute mean of 77mph - equivalent to a Cat 1 hurricane. You can see the observations below, it's the classic '87 scenario of a wedge of warm air passing rapidly through (12.4C at one point), followed by a rapid cooling and rapid increase in wind strength.

https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/ICOUNT100 

https://ukwct.org.uk/weather/galway.jpg 

I would imagine 100mph winds in a built-up area like that would have caused extensive damage.

Stay safe all!

Edit. Winds really beginning to make some serious noise now. Pressure now rising. Would estimate frequent gust speeds of around 60 to 65 knots. 

You're probably seeing overhead lines shorting out, a sight which was common here in '87 apparently. I think you're experiencing the same sort of winds as we had back then - make sure to save your phone battery in case you need it! (Bear in mind phone masts only have a short battery backup, so if there's widespread power cuts you'll lose phone signal in another couple of hours - hopefully not though!)

It might be worth filling up some buckets, containers or even your bath with water so that you can flush your loo should the power cut become prolonged (as the pumping stations require power too, it's why there were water cuts in places back in '87 too). Hopefully you will avoid any structural damage to your home, and that goes for everyone else on here too!

The 4 AM updates are starting to come in and Mace Head is now reporting hurricane levels of wind - 84 to 108. Phenomenal, and a once-in-a-lifetime event.

https://ukwct.org.uk/weather/mace.jpg 

Yep Retron, kettle, saucepans and bath now filled. Good advice. 

Mace Head has, according to Met Eireann, provisionally set new Irish records for both strongest sustained wind and strongest gust. I can't imagine many people are still asleep out there this morning!

Mace Hd has only been reporting since 2003 I think and is located in a notoriiously windy spot anyway. I dare say if it had been around prior to the start of the centrury, it would have recorded higher speeds than today. Either way, no reports from either Mace Hd or Belmullet on the 6am reports. 

https://twitter.com/MetEireann/status/1882659454346510488 

Not sure if that is the best measure, given the two different locations and geography?

Shannon is likely the nearest reporting station to Foynes (which I don't know is even reporting anymore) and its max gust so far is 74 knots, or 137 km/h. The 7am report may up this a little. 

As others pointed out though it seems to have gone offline after 5am. 

Best measure or not, it is apparently a new record which is the whole point. It is seemingly the strongest gust on record in Ireland. Your comment was about records, I posted one.

Shannon down a little on 7am report at 67 knots. Winds here now more alternating between lulls and eyebrow raising surges.