Millions of people across the UK are being urged to stay at home on Friday as Storm Éowyn, a potentially life-threatening storm, is set to hit with wind gusts reaching up to 100mph. This powerful storm is expected to cause significant disruption, particularly in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, where red weather warnings have been issued.
Red Warnings for Northern Ireland and Scotland
The Met Office has issued a red weather warning for Northern Ireland, which will remain in place from 07:00 GMT to 14:00 on Friday. This is the most serious warning level, indicating a risk to life due to extreme weather conditions. Winds of up to 100mph are forecast, potentially causing widespread damage and posing significant risks to travel and infrastructure.
All schools in Northern Ireland have been advised to close for the day, and bus and train services are suspended. Belfast International Airport is also expecting severe disruptions, with numerous flight cancellations. Tesco has announced that all of its stores in Northern Ireland will be closed, and home deliveries will be canceled.
In Scotland, the red warning will affect the central belt, including major cities such as Glasgow and Edinburgh, from 10:00 to 17:00. Schools across 20 local authorities in central Scotland are set to close, and ScotRail has confirmed that all rail services will be suspended for safety reasons.
Widespread Disruptions Across the UK
Storm Éowyn’s impact will extend beyond the red warning zones. Amber and yellow warnings for wind and rain are in place across much of the UK. Strong winds and heavy rain are expected to cause further disruptions, including downed trees, damaged roads, and widespread travel cancellations. Train operators such as Avanti, LNER, Lumo, and TransPennine Express have advised against traveling in the north of England and Wales on Friday.
Airports in Glasgow and Edinburgh are also limiting operations, with many flights canceled. The AA is advising motorists to reconsider their journeys, especially in the red warning areas, where winds could reach up to 80-90mph (129-145km/h).
In addition to the weather warnings, power cuts are expected, with some areas likely to experience outages lasting several days. National Highways has confirmed that several roads will be closed, including the A66 between North Yorkshire and Cumbria and the M48 Severn Bridge in South Gloucestershire.
Ongoing and Future Warnings
As the storm progresses, further weather warnings will remain in effect, including yellow warnings for wind and rain in parts of Wales, the South West, and South East of England, and snow in parts of Scotland and northern England. The storm is expected to continue impacting the country into the weekend, with additional warnings for Sunday.
Storm Éowyn, which has been named the fifth storm of the season, has formed due to powerful jet stream winds pushing low-pressure systems toward the UK and Ireland from the Atlantic. This follows a recent cold spell over North America, further intensifying the storm’s severity.
