People are being warned to stay safe on the coasts as high tides and winds batter the country.
Video footage of a child who was almost swept out to sea has been circulated to serve as a warning to people in this extreme weather.
The video taken at the seaside town of Portstewart in Derry shows a man and a child walking dangerously close to the water. A huge wave washes up over the pair and the child is seen losing their footing and very nearly being taken by the water.
The video by Maureen Kane posted to the @ILoveNorthCoast Twitter account comes with a warning to Respect the Water.
Expect the unexpected by the coast ?
Today in Portstewart by Maureen Kane #RespectTheWater @newslineweather @BelTel pic.twitter.com/14lbsaBgrE— I ♥ North Coast (@ILoveNorthCoast) January 9, 2017
Met Eireann have a gale warning in place for all coasts of Ireland and on the Irish Sea. This comes with bitterly cold conditions, snow and thunder forecast for the next two days.
A strong to gale force, cold and unstable west to northwest wind is hitting the coasts.
Those gale force winds are expected to remain strong tonight.
The winds are affecting higher ground too, as this photo by Brona Duddy on Irish Weather Online shows:
It was so windy in #Donegal today that the mountain streams were flowing sideways. Pic Brona Duddy #iwo pic.twitter.com/Dah8paUWHM
— iWeather Online (@iweatheronline) January 11, 2017
