The Director of Roads and Transportation with Cork County Council has appealed to people not to move outdoors once Met Éireann's Red weather warning comes into effect tomorrow at 2am.
The warning will remain in force until 10am tomorrow in counties Cork and Kerry, as well as in counties Limerick, Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny and Carlow.
Padraig Barrett was speaking following a briefing of local authorities by the National Emergency Coordination Group.
He said winds exceeding 130 kilometres per hour are expected to hit West Cork and Kerry from 2am.
"This is a widespread wind event that will affect the whole country," Mr Barrett said.
"It is moving really, really quickly, and where it could hit hardest may change."
Mr Barrett said flood preventative measures are being taken, in places like Bantry in West Cork, where sandbags are being distributed, but Storm Éowyn will primarily be a wind event.
"The main message here is, wherever you are when Storm Éowyn starts, stay there," he said. "Everything should stay closed tomorrow until after the Red warning has been lifted."
The message was echoed by a Senior Engineer with Kerry County Council, Paul Neary.
"This is going to be a destructive, damaging event. The number one key message is safety - make sure to shelter in place until the storm has passed," he said.
A local coordinating group of local authority staff and emergency services personnel will meet in Kerry later today.
Repair crews will not be operating during the Red wind warning, but fire crews and gardaí will be on standby to respond where there is a risk to life.
The Iveragh and Corca Dhuibhne peninsulae, along with coastal parts of North Kerry, are regarded as most vulnerable, but damaging, life-threatening gusts could affect any part of the county, he said.
Once the Red warning has been lifted in Kerry, a risk assessment will be undertaken before repair crews will be allocated to clear priority routes within the county.
