Storm Éowyn is set to bring severe weather conditions to Ireland and the UK, with the Met Office issuing warnings about destructive winds and heavy rainfall.
Educational institutions across Ireland and Northern Ireland closed on Friday as authorities advised residents to remain indoors due to severe weather alerts.
Hundreds of planes and thousands of trains have been cancelled, with a map revealing the path the extreme weather system will take as it batters the country.
According to a report in Daily Mail, the Met office has issued a rare red weather warning for wind in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, as the storm is set to bring hurricane-force winds, torrential rain, and heavy snow.
Millions of people in the UK have received government emergency alerts on their phones in the ‘largest real life use of the tool to date’.
Storm Eowyn is expected to cause travel disruptions, with Network Rail warning of the strongest winds in a decade. Ferry operator CalMac and train company ScotRail have cancelled all their services, while Glasgow’s subway and buses have been suspended.
Simon Harris, Ireland’s deputy premier, said the storm would be ‘dangerous’ and ‘destructive’.
‘We cannot give a higher warning than nationwide Red. The risk to life is extreme and real,’ he said.
The red warning is in place in Northern Ireland from 7am to 2pm on Friday, and in parts of Scotland between 10am and 5pm. Amber and yellow weather warnings have been issued for northern and southern England, respectively.
“We reserve the issuing of red warnings for the most severe weather which represents a likely danger to life and severe disruption, and that is the case with Storm Eowyn,” Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen told Daily Mail.
The AA has advised people to postpone non-essential travel in areas covered by the red weather warning. Chris Wood, AA Patrol of the Year, said, “If you do need to travel, make sure you’re prepared for what you may encounter. Expect to come across fallen branches and other debris on the roads, especially in rural areas.”
City of Edinburgh Council has shut schools and suspended non-essential services, with parks, museums, and galleries closed. Lothian Buses has no routes operating, and Stagecoach has halted some of its services, Daily mail reported.
STV meteorologist Sean Batty warned that Storm Eowyn could be one of the worst to hit Scotland since Hurricane ‘Bawbag’ (official name Friedhelm) in 2011 and the January 2012 storm that left hundreds of thousands without power.
“Currently it looks like Eowyn could see pressure drop to just below 940mb close to Tiree on Friday morning which could be the deepest storm centre recorded in the UK since a major storm in 1982 saw pressure drop to 937mb in Stornoway,” Batty said.
Police Scotland’s Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan advised against travelling during the red weather warning, emphasizing the unusual nature of such a warning.
This marks the first red weather warning issued for Northern Ireland since the Met Office moved to impact-based warnings in 2011. Forecasters are warning of flying debris, dangerous driving conditions, power cuts, damage to buildings and homes, and delays and cancellations to transport services.