We will always remember 2018 as the year of the dramatic weather, from snow storms to heat waves, we have seen it all, but things are about to turn nasty again as forecaster warn that Storm Helene could pose a danger to life when it hits Ireland next week. This is something we need to take seriously.

Last year, saw storm Ophelia causing havoc, with some believing it would not be a strong as predicted, they were proven wrong.

An alert has been put in place and will come into affect from 6pm on Monday until 12 noon on Tuesday, with the storm set to hit us here in Ireland before it makes its way to the UK.

Predicted hazards from the storm include power cuts, large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts and fallen trees.

Irish forecasters are telling people to keep a close eye on the weather forecasts over the coming days as we are expected to be hit by the tail end of the hurricane.

A spokesperson for Met Eireann said: "It’s difficult to tell what the effects will be until closer to the time but we urge people to keep an eye on Met.ie over the weekend."

"This storm will be nothing like Ophelia , which was a full blown hurricane."

Met Éireann forecaster Joanna Donnelly told the Irish Independent that there will b e early warnings due to the Ploughing championships ,

"We're aware that there will be a lot more people on the road once the championships start, so we intend on giving the public plenty of notice," she said.

"The hurricane will most likely shift due to its unpredictability, so it's hard to determine where exactly it will land. But indications at the moment look like it'll be hitting the south coast."

In a statement on their website, Met Eireann said: "Current guidance has the low pressure system moving northeastwards up through the Irish Sea overnight Monday and early on Tuesday, although the exact path is still uncertain."

"A humid spell of wet and windy weather is expected to sweep up over Ireland on Monday night and early Tuesday as a result. Current guidance suggests the potential for warning level winds and perhaps rain with the system."