Storm Eowyn sets wind speed record as 114mph gales recorded and deadly weather chaos begins
Storm Eowyn sets wind speed record as 114mph gales recorded and deadly weather chaos begins
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Storm Éowyn has already set a wind speed record as 114mph gales were recorded in Ireland this morning, forecasters have said. Met Éireann said the highest gust record of 182km/h (113mph) set in 1945 at Foynes in County Limerick has provisionally been broken as a gust of 183km/h was recorded at Mace Head in County Galway at 5am. The Irish Meteorological Service said: "This is provisionally the strongest gust speed ever recorded in Ireland.".
The top-level red warning for wind is in place in both the the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland from early on Friday morning. Schools and colleges across Ireland are set to close and public transport come to a halt amid powerful gusts with warnings of danger to life, fallen electric lines, damaged infrastructure and widespread power outages.
Dublin Airport announced more than 110 scheduled departures and 110 arrivals have been cancelled by airlines for Friday. The storm has already caused extensive and widespread damage to the electricity network, with power outages nationwide affecting 560,000 homes, farms and businesses.
The Electricity Supply Board (ESB) said it expects significant further outages as Storm Éowyn moves across the country. Police in Northern Ireland have declared a major incident and said they expect the strongest winds in the region since the Boxing Day storm in 1998 which caused widespread disruption.
Speaking to media in Belfast on Thursday afternoon, First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly urged people to stay at home where they can and check in on vulnerable people. Ms O'Neill described an "evolving situation" which they are "very closely monitoring.".
