How does the BBC report on extreme weather?

Reporting about extreme weather affects millions of lives – and it’s reflected in the wider public.

For journalists – they are difficult to cover.

We have the task of publishing information and conveying the seriousness of the situation to the public – and taking steps to protect ourselves.

Red warnings indicate that there is danger to life – and authorities do not take the decision to issue the alert lightly.

Risk assessment is an integral part of our approach to these stories.

Camera operator Niall Gallagher and I traveled to Westport on the Atlantic coast of Ireland before the lockdown came into force.

We knew in advance that some of the strongest winds in the UK and Ireland would be felt on the west coast.

During the hours of the highest alert level – it was clearly too dangerous to go out into the open air.

The sight and sound of debris crashing to the ground was testament to the risk that the National Weather Service, Met Éireann and emergency services were talking about.

So we set up for the live stream in a tunnel, connecting our hotel parking lot to the street.

This meant we could get a good look at the scenes outside and get a sense of how fierce the gales could be – all whilst remaining sheltered.

This allowed us to film photos that adequately captured the savagery of the storm, without taking a major safety risk.

After red warning Expired, we made the decision to withdraw again – to study the damage, speak more to local people and assess the scale of the gap that communities were facing.

Covering the most intense storm to hit the island of Ireland for many years is a team effort – and we continue to rely on our colleagues at the BBC in Northern Ireland, who have collated material from many towns, cities and villages.

BBCNI’s headquarters at Broadcasting House in Belfast switched to a backup electricity generator in the run-up to the midday news period.

It was a plan to allow programs to remain in the air, if the wave of power cuts reached the building.

Whether you’re in a newsroom or “in the field” – having a plan B (and often a C and D) is often valuable.

This is never more important than when covering bad weather.

If the pattern of recent times continues, we will do this more frequently in the years to come.