Ferry sailings hit as Lili sweeps in

DANGEROUS winds and heavy rain may leave flooding and storm damage in many parts of the country today as the tail end of Hurricane Lili continues to sweep in from the Atlantic.

Met Eireann issued a weather warning yesterday, predicting severe storms at sea, with winds of up to 80 miles an hour on land and heavy rain in all areas by later today. The Irish Marine Rescue Service said it had relayed the storm warnings to all craft at sea.

Ferry companies were monitoring conditions overnight but some sailings had already been cancelled, including today's 1.45 p.m. Stena catamaran service from Rosslare to Fishguard. A spokesman said the 6.15 p.m. service was also in doubt.

Irish Ferries sailings are also expected to be affected and a decision will be made early today. The company cancelled last night's sailing from Rosslare to Pembroke. The scheduled overnight departure of the St Killian to Le Havre was cancelled but a company spokeswoman said the ferry may depart this morning, weather permitting.

A company spokeswoman said the ferry arrived in Rosslare at 9.30 p.m., having already been delayed by industrial action.

Met Eireann said the worst of the weather will have passed by tonight and predicted a return to milder conditions tomorrow.

The US National Hurricane Centre warned at the weekend that Hurricane Lili, which was almost forgotten after lashing Cuba and the Bahamas, could become a huge winter storm affecting Europe.

"It will lose its tropical characteristics and could become a winter storm in the next couple of days as it moves over colder water in the Atlantic," a hurricane specialist said. She added that some hurricanes moved eastward from the US before looping around to turn back. However, the cold front had given Hurricane Lili a "kick" towards the east, sending it Europe wards.