Storm Eowyn breaks Irish wind speed records
Storm Eowyn breaks Irish wind speed records
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A wind speed of 183kmh (114mph) brought by Storm Eowyn has been recorded in Ireland, the fastest since records began, Irish forecaster Met Eireann said. Residents across Ireland and Northern Ireland have been urged to stay at home as the storm sweeps across the island.
The top-level red warning for wind came into effect in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland from early on Friday morning. Schools and colleges across the island are closed and public transport has come to a halt amid powerful gusts, with warnings of danger to life, fallen electric lines, damaged infrastructure and widespread power outages.
Met Eireann reported that a gust of 183kmh had been recorded at Mace Head, Co Galway, at 5am, just above the previous record high of 182kmh (113mph) set in January 1945 in Foynes, Co Limerick. It also reported the mean wind speed record of 131kmh (81mph) set in 1945 in Foynes has been broken during the storm, with up to 135kmh (84mph) at Mace Head at 4am.
The storm has caused extensive and widespread damage to the electricity network, with power outages affecting 560,000 homes, farms and businesses in the Republic of Ireland, with more than 93,000 impacted in Northern Ireland. ESB Networks in Ireland says it expects significant further outages as Storm Eowyn moves across the country.
