A rare red weather warning covering Northern Ireland and Scotland was issued on Thursday before what could be the strongest storm in generations.
The Met Office said the arrival of Storm Éowyn on Friday could bring gusts of up to 100mph and “flying debris resulting in a danger to life”.
The red warnings, an upgrade of existing amber warnings, covered all of Northern Ireland and parts of central and southern Scotland, including Edinburgh, Glasgow and Ayr.
In the Irish republic, a rare nationwide red warning for wind is in place, issued by Met Éireann.
At first minister’s questions at the Scottish parliament on Thursday, John Swinney told the public to take the red weather warning seriously, adding that Police Scotland were due to issue an unusual “do not travel” notice.
Swinney said he would be chairing a meeting of the his government’s resilience room after the FMQs session. “We have to be clear that people should not travel and the Police Scotland will issue a formal do not travel notice shortly,” he said. “Councils will make decisions today on school closures.”
He went on: “Red weather warnings are very rare; our message is simple: please follow the advice from the Met Office and the police, take this seriously and stay safe.”
Schools are to close across Scotland’s central belt on Friday, with colleges and universities also advising students and staff to stay at home.
The Scottish parliament building in Edinburgh has also announced it will be shut on Friday, with no access to visitors or members of the public, and only essential staff being granted access.
In Northern Ireland schools have been advised to close and the public have been warned to stay away from forests, country parks and nature reserves because of the risk of fallen trees, branches and debris.
An emergency alert will be issued to people’s phones later on Thursday afternoon, the first minister, Michelle O’Neill, has said.
In the Republic of Ireland, public transport has been cancelled on Friday as the country prepares for a status red warning with “extreme risk to life”.
Tidal surges across “all coastlines across the island” are expected of up to 2.5 metres.
Keith Leonard, Ireland’s National Emergency Coordination Group chair, has asked people to remain indoors during the storm.
Forecasters said the storm could mean power cuts, very dangerous driving conditions because of fallen trees, roofs blown off and power lines down. Roads, bridges and railway lines are likely to be closed and travel disruption is predicted.
Northern Railways, which operates across northern England, advised passengers to “avoid travelling where possible” as it cancelled services before the storm. The company said it was expecting “severe disruption” and had cancelled services across the network including trains across the Pennines, down the Cumbrian coast and between Carlisle and Newcastle.
LNER said there would be no services north of Newcastle in either direction from 11am on Friday. Avanti West Coast advised passengers not to travel north of Preston or on its north Wales route.
Éowyn is the fifth named storm of the 2024-25 season and potentially the most destructive.
Forecasters have said it could be the strongest system the UK and Ireland has seen since Storm Debbie in September 1961, which wrecked homes, cut power and led to the deaths of 12 people in the Republic of Ireland and six in Northern Ireland.
The Met Office said peak rush hour wind speeds of 80-90 miles an hour were expected across Northern Ireland on Friday, with up to 100mph in some exposed locations. “An extremely windy spell with disruption and potentially damaging winds tomorrow morning,” he said.
The record for a gust in Northern Ireland is 124mph in Kilkeel in Co Down in January 1974.
Experts say Éowyn could also bring torrential rain and heavy snow across the UK.
There were also amber wind warnings in place for north Wales, northern England and the rest of Scotland. There is a yellow wind warning across south-east England.
Jess Neumann, an associate professor of hydrology at the University of Reading, said: “Storm Éowyn is not one to underestimate – stay safe, stay prepared, and plan ahead. This storm has the potential to bring serious risks, not just to travel and property, but to your safety and wellbeing.”
Those sentiments were echoed by Prof Liz Bentley, the chief executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, who said Éowyn was a “particularly potent storm” because of a “very active jet stream”.
People on transatlantic flights may this week already have noticed how powerful the jet stream has been, with data from Flightradar24 showing that a BA flight from Las Vegas to Heathrow hit a speed of 814mph thanks to the strong tailwind.
Bentley said: “The subsonic speed record currently stands at 835mph, so that record could well be broken in the coming hours.”
The European Storm Forecast Experiment (Estofex), a forecasting initiative involving a team of European meteorologists, said “tornado events” could not be ruled out, with areas between Bristol and London most at risk on Friday.
As the storm approached, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) urged the public to take precautions to ensure their safety.
The advice includes avoiding all travel unless it is necessary. If people have to drive they should do it cautiously, be alert for debris and stay a safe distance from other vehicles.
At home, outdoor furniture and bins should be secured and people should “remain indoors as much as possible”. Another tip is to prepare an emergency kit with essentials such as water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, and a first aid kit.
Adrian Simpson, head of policy at RoSPA, said: “We urge everyone to take these precautions seriously to ensure their safety during Storm Éowyn. The expected conditions are severe, and it is crucial to stay informed and prepared.”
