LAST UPDATE | 23 Jan

NORTHERN IRELAND HAS been issued a status red warning by the UK Met Office as Storm Éowyn is set to cause disruptions across the island from the early hours of tomorrow morning.

The warning is in place for the six counties from 7am to 2pm.

The UK Met Office warned that the storm would result in flying debris presenting a danger to life, very dangerous driving conditions, power outages and damage to buildings and homes.

It also said that the closure of roads, bridges and railway lines is to be expected, with delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services and flights.

In the Republic, services will not be operating throughout the status red warnings, which are to come into place from early tomorrow morning as Storm Éowyn sweeps across the country. 

Services, including bus, tram and train services, in the hours before and after the red warning takes effect are also likely to be severely impacted, a spokesperson for the National Transport Authority said. 

“We are urging customers not to undertake any travel without checking that services are operational. Check your operator’s website and social media for updates,” the spokesperson added.

The red level warnings will kick in at various times in the early hours of tomorrow morning. Gale to storm force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h, Met Éireann said.

The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) will be meeting at 10am.

Speaking on Morning Ireland, chair of the NECG Keith Leonard said that all public transport services will be cancelled for the duration of the red weather warnings. 

Leonard said that both the ESB and Irish Water had met yesterday to activate their crisis management plans. He said that an important piece of advice for people is to ensure that your mobile phone is charged, as widespread power outages are a certainty. 

While the named storm is primarily a wind event, Met Éireann forecaster Gerry Murphy said this morning, parts of the northwest will experience sleet which will reduce visibility.

In counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, and Waterford, the warning is valid from 2am to 10am Friday.

In Clare and Galway, the warning is valid from 3am to 11am Friday.

Leitrim, Mayo, and Sligo will be under the red warning from 4am to midday Friday.

Counties Cavan, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow, Roscommon and Tipperary will be under a status red warning from 6am to 11am Friday, while Donegal‘s warning is valid from 7am to 2pm.

A status orange wind warning its valid across the entire country from 2am Friday morning until 5pm tomorrow evening.

The entire country is set to be under a status red warning with the imminent arrival of Storm Éowyn. Met Éireann Met Éireann

Impacts

A status red weather warning indicates danger to life, Met Éireann has said, and widespread power outages, fallen trees, extremely adverse travelling conditions and coastal flooding are projected.

Transport For Ireland (TFI) said that it expects “significant disruption” to transport services due to the storm. It said details of the impact will be issued shortly. 

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is urging the public to take extreme caution.”This is not a typical weather event,” it said. “It has the potential to be a significant and historic storm that poses a serious risk to life.”

The RSA said that the public should absolutely avoid any unnecessary travel.

All driving tests that were due to take place tomorrow have now been cancelled, with the RSA saying that those affected will be issued an invitation to book a new test appointment in the coming days. 

NCT centres will be closed for the duration of the red weather warnings.

Advice for road users from the authority is available here. 

Employers are urged to facilitate employees working from home where possible tomorrow. However, where it is not possible for employees to work from home and they cannot attend work due to extreme weather conditions, the Workplace Relations Commission said that there is no statutory obligation on the employer to pay the employee.

All schools, including creches, primary, secondary, and third level, will be closed for the duration of the red level warning in the given area. 

Keith Leonard yesterday said the incoming weather system will probably be among the “severest storms” that Ireland has ever seen.

Leonard told RTÉ the number of people who will lose power will likely top the 385,000 figure that came with Storm Ophelia in 2017.