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Storm Éowyn hits UK: 1,000 flights cancelled amid ‘danger to life’ warnings Storm Éowyn hits UK and Ireland: 1,000 flights cancelled amid ‘danger to life’
(about 3 hours later)
Met Office says 100mph winds could cause serious disruption with red, amber and yellow alerts in place Met Office issues red warnings, with 100mph winds and serious disruption expected
More than 1,000 flights have been cancelled and a number of main roads closed as millions of people in the UK and Ireland have been asked to stay home amid a red “danger to life” warning due to a rare “weather bomb” brought by Storm Éowyn. More than 1,000 flights were cancelled and a number of main roads closed as millions of people in the UK and Ireland were asked to stay home amid red “danger to life” warnings owing to a rare “weather bomb” brought by Storm Éowyn.
The Met Office has advised of very dangerous conditions across Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, and significant disruption, with flying debris, fallen trees on roads, large waves and power cuts likely to affect the area covered by the red warning, where 100mph (160km/h) winds are expected. Rail and ferry services were cancelled on Friday as the storm left hundreds of thousands without power and forced the closure of businesses and schools across Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Amber and yellow alerts for wind are in place across the rest of the UK, and going into the weekend. The Met Office has advised of very dangerous conditions and significant disruption, with flying debris, fallen trees on roads, large waves and power cuts likely to affect the areas covered by the red warnings, where 100mph (160km/h) winds are expected.
About 4.5 million people received emergency alerts on their phones on Thursday to warn of the incoming storm in the “largest real-life use of the tool to date”. The red warning covering Northern Ireland has been downgraded to amber but was in place in Scotland until 5pm.
There are Amber and yellow alerts for wind across the rest of the UK going into the weekend.
About 4.5 million people received emergency alerts on their phones on Thursday to warn of the storm in the “largest real-life use of the tool to date”.
A wind speed of 114mph had been recorded in Ireland, the fastest since records began, Met Éireann said.A wind speed of 114mph had been recorded in Ireland, the fastest since records began, Met Éireann said.
Fallen trees and debris have blocked a number of main roads across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland. Police Scotland said no motorists should travel in the red warning area. Fallen trees and debris have blocked a number of main roads across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland. Police Scotland said motorists should not travel in the red warning area.
On Friday, more than 1,070 flights scheduled in the UK and Ireland have been cancelled. Rail services were delayed, roads closed and ferry services also cancelled before the weather bomb, caused by a powerful jet stream pushing low pressure across the Atlantic towards the UK. On Friday, more than 1,070 flights scheduled in the UK and Ireland were cancelled. Rail services were delayed or cancelled including almost all journeys in Scotland, before and during the weather bomb, caused by a powerful jet stream pushing low pressure across the Atlantic towards the UK.
The low pressure named #StormÉowyn currently has a central air pressure of 1001hPa, but this is expected to drop by 62hPa in the next 30 hours 👀This is known as explosive cyclogenesis or a weather bomb and will bring damaging winds to some areas on Friday ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/N8iooq5pl1The low pressure named #StormÉowyn currently has a central air pressure of 1001hPa, but this is expected to drop by 62hPa in the next 30 hours 👀This is known as explosive cyclogenesis or a weather bomb and will bring damaging winds to some areas on Friday ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/N8iooq5pl1
Otherwise known as explosive cyclogenesis, a weather bomb happens when the central pressure of a storm drops at least 24 millibars in 24 hours, causing rapid intensification as air is sucked into the storm, creating violent winds strong enough to cause serious damage. Otherwise known as explosive cyclogenesis, a weather bomb happens when the central pressure of a storm drops at least 24 millibars in 24 hours, causing rapid intensification as air is sucked into the storm, creating violent winds strong enough to cause serious damage. Climate breakdown is making these dramatic and extreme weather events more likely.
Climate change is making these dramatic and extreme weather events more likely. By 4pm on Friday, 240,000 customers were left without power in Northern Ireland with more than 70 reports of trees down. ESB Networks in Ireland and NIE Networks say they expect significant further outages as Storm Éowyn continues to batter parts of the island, with 725,000 customers affected in the republic.
Northern Ireland is in the eye of the storm with a real threat to life and property with more than 70 reports of trees down and almost 100,000 homes and premises without power. Radar pictures issued by Met Éireann for the island of Ireland at 8.30am on Friday showed Storm Éowyn barrelling across Northern Ireland after it moved northwards from Ireland, where record gusts of 114mph were recorded overnight.
Radar pictures issued by Met Éireann for the island of Ireland at 8.30am on Friday showed Storm Éowyn barrelling across Ulster after it moved northwards from the republic where record gusts of 114mph were recorded overnight.
Schools, colleges and the courts in Northern Ireland have been closed and flights cancelled as the storm moved across the Irish Sea to Scotland.Schools, colleges and the courts in Northern Ireland have been closed and flights cancelled as the storm moved across the Irish Sea to Scotland.
The Alliance party MP Sorcha Eastwood posted a photograph of a telegraph pole lifted from the ground by the force of the wind on Friday morning in Blaris in Northern Ireland. The Isle of Man’s Department of Infrastructure declared a major incident because of the number of fallen trees and their impact on arterial roads and emergency services, the government said on X.
The severe red alert weather warning remains in place from 7am on Friday until 2pm.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland described the storm as an “exceptional weather event” that was expected to bring the strongest winds seen in the country since 1998.The Police Service of Northern Ireland described the storm as an “exceptional weather event” that was expected to bring the strongest winds seen in the country since 1998.
The assistant chief constable Davy Beck said there had been wind speeds in excess of 70mph. “We’re seeing significant amounts of debris right across the road network,” he told BBC Radio Ulster. “The road network is dangerous and the message remains stay at home, stay safe and stay off the roads please.”The assistant chief constable Davy Beck said there had been wind speeds in excess of 70mph. “We’re seeing significant amounts of debris right across the road network,” he told BBC Radio Ulster. “The road network is dangerous and the message remains stay at home, stay safe and stay off the roads please.”
The first minister, Michelle O’Neill, said: “We’re in the eye of the storm now. We are in the period of the red alert. People can see for themselves, the wind has been very much picking up overnight.
“We’ve just been briefed by the Civil Contingencies Group, by the PSNI who are in the lead in terms of the storm response, and they tell us that the situation is, as we have outlined yesterday, we’re still in a period of jeopardy in terms of the damage that potentially could be caused as a result of the storm.
“I think the real message we want to get across to your listeners this morning is to please be ultra cautious, to please stay at home if you can and actually we will see how the storm will rage but the scale of the storm, the level of wind that we’ve experienced across the island, which is something that’s never been seen before.”
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The first minister, Michelle O’Neill, said on Friday morning: “We’re in the eye of the storm now. We are in the period of the red alert. People can see for themselves, the wind has been very much picking up overnight.
She added: “I think the real message we want to get across to your listeners this morning is to please be ultra cautious, to please stay at home if you can and actually we will see how the storm will rage but the scale of the storm, the level of wind that we’ve experienced across the island, which is something that’s never been seen before.”
Dozens of flights from Glasgow and Edinburgh airports were cancelled, while Belfast International warned of significant disruption to flights. Dublin airport announced more than 110 scheduled departures and 110 arrivals had been cancelled on Friday.Dozens of flights from Glasgow and Edinburgh airports were cancelled, while Belfast International warned of significant disruption to flights. Dublin airport announced more than 110 scheduled departures and 110 arrivals had been cancelled on Friday.
A spokesperson from the UK Civil Aviation Authority said Storm Éowyn was likely to bring “considerable disruption”. A spokesperson from the UK Civil Aviation Authority had warned earlier in the day that Storm Éowyn was likely to bring “considerable disruption”.
They said: “If a flight faces lengthy delays, airlines have a duty of care to look after their passengers, including providing food and drink and accommodation if overnight. We will not hesitate to take action against any airlines not following these guidelines.”They said: “If a flight faces lengthy delays, airlines have a duty of care to look after their passengers, including providing food and drink and accommodation if overnight. We will not hesitate to take action against any airlines not following these guidelines.”
The train operator ScotRail suspended all services across Scotland and said it would not be safe to operate passenger services. ScotRail, which runs nearly all Scotland’s domestic rail services, said none of its trains would be running until noon on Saturday at the earliest.
CalMac Ferries on Scotland’s west coast and Steam Packet Ferries between Heysham and the Isle of Man announced Friday’s planned sailings had been cancelled. It said Storm Éowyn’s extremely high winds had caused “significant damage” to its infrastructure across Scotland, including to overhead power lines. As a result, it was unclear when train services would resume.
A number of train companies, including Avanti West Coast, Lumo, CrossCountry and Grand Central, have halted services on routes across parts of north Wales, Scotland and northern England. “We won’t know the full extent of the damage until after the storm passes and our Network Rail colleagues can get on to the network and carry out a full assessment. This will obviously take quite a bit of time.
Passengers and motorists in areas covered by red and amber weather warnings have been told to avoid travel unless essential. “Our colleagues at Network Rail Scotland will be working flat-out through the night to remove fallen trees and other debris from the tracks. There has also been extensive damage to overhead lines, which will need to be repaired before trains can safely return to service.”
National Highways said the A66 between the A1M in North Yorkshire and M6 in Cumbria, as well as the A628 Woodhead Pass in Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, were closed overnight due to strong winds. CalMac Ferries on Scotland’s west coast and Steam Packet Ferries between Heysham and the Isle of Man cancelled all sailings on Friday.
Farther south, the M48 Severn Bridge was shut, while the Tamar Bridge on the A38 between Devon and Cornwall was closed to high-sided vehicles until 5am.
Avon and Somerset reported a number of roads had been blocked by fallen trees and advised motorists to take care.
In Wales, Gwent police confirmed emergency services were working to manage surface flooding on the B4598 between Raglan and Abergavenny.
Met Éireann reported the mean wind speed record of 81mph set in 1945 at Foynes, County Limerick, had been broken during the storm. The Irish weather service also said there had been gusts of up to 108mph in Mace Head, off Ireland’s west coast, by 4am on Friday.Met Éireann reported the mean wind speed record of 81mph set in 1945 at Foynes, County Limerick, had been broken during the storm. The Irish weather service also said there had been gusts of up to 108mph in Mace Head, off Ireland’s west coast, by 4am on Friday.
Red warnings for wind were issued by the Met Office in Northern Ireland from 7am until 2pm on Friday, and for western and central areas of Scotland between 10am and 5pm. Gusts of 80-90mph were expected inland in areas covered by the warnings, with speeds of up to 100mph likely along coasts.