Amber weather warning issued

Storm Éowyn set to bring strong winds & heavy rain

Source - The Met Office

The system could bring gusts in excess of 80mph on exposed coasts in Northern Ireland, northern England, northwestern Wales and western Scotland. An Amber National Severe Weather Warning for wind has been issued, along with new warnings for snow, wind and rain.

Storm Éowyn will move across the northwest of the UK on Friday, clearing to the northeast on Friday night and will initially bring snow for some, with accompanying rain and wind. This has the potential to cause travel disruption, power cuts and damage to building and homes.  

A change from Thursday

Recent relatively benign conditions, albeit with plenty of grey skies, are likely to continue through Wednesday, with some outbreaks of rain in places.

However, a major change in the UK’s weather starts on Thursday, as a front bringing heavy rain moves eastwards through the day. Conditions turn both wet and windy during the early hours on Friday morning as Storm Éowyn arrives, with rain starting off as snow over parts of Northern Ireland, Scotland and higher ground in northern England.

A Yellow warning for winds in western parts of Wales, southwest England and the southern coast of England has been issued from 07:00 until 18:00 on Thursday.

Storm Éowyn, pronounced ‘Ay-oh-win’, will begin to influence the UK’s weather early on Friday, with strengthening winds initially in southwestern parts of the UK with accompanying heavy rainfall. This will quickly spread northeast to the rest of the UK during Friday morning. There is also a chance of snow over Northern Ireland, northern England and Scotland as the system initially bumps into cold air, however much of this will quickly change to rain as milder air moves in.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Mike Silverstone said: “Storm Éowyn is expected to bring very strong winds and widespread disruption on Friday. There are currently a number of weather warnings in place, with all parts of the UK covered by one warning at some point on Friday.

“Storm Éowyn is expected to cross Northern Ireland early on Friday morning. It will then continue northeast across the northern half of Scotland during Friday afternoon and is expected to be centred near Shetland during Friday evening.

“The strongest wind gusts are likely to be felt across parts of Northern Ireland, southern and central Scotland, northern England and northwest Wales, where exposed sites could get gusts in excess of 80mph, possibly 90mph, which has the potential to cause impacts for those in these areas. The focus for the highest winds shifts to Scotland on Friday night into Saturday.

“An Amber weather warning for wind has been issued and covers Northern Ireland, parts of Scotland and northern England for most of the day on Friday before winds gradually ease later in the day.”

Advice

Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather in your area.

Visit WeatherReady for practical tips and advice for preparing for severe weather.

Travel conditions are likely to be severely disrupted in the coming days. Mark Nash, Duty Manager at National Highways, said: “We are expecting high winds and rain to hit most parts of the country later this week. If you're planning to drive over the next few days, prepare in advance for the journey and take extra care on the roads. If weather conditions become challenging, adjust your driving behaviour to manage the conditions as safely as possible.

“We have a section of our website dedicated to travelling in storms, high winds and gales, and considerations for different types of vehicles, as part of our guide to travelling in severe weather.”

The acronym TRIP is an easy way for drivers to remember the four simple steps to take to prepare ahead of using motorways and major A roads this winter:
•    Top-up: Fuel, oil, and screen wash
•    Rest: Plan regular stops every two hours to avoid driver fatigue
•    Inspect: Check tyre pressure and tread
•    Prepare: Have a plan for severe weather conditions