Met Office issues rare RED warning as Storm Eowyn closes in


Met Office issues rare RED warning as Storm Eowyn closes in

Published: 10:09 GMT, 23 January 2025 Updated: 12:44 GMT, 23 January 2025 The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning as Storm Eowyn barrels towards Britain, bringing gusts of up to 100mph and 'flying debris resulting in a danger to life'. Parts of the UK could be brought to a standstill as the country is battered by 'exceptional' hurricane-force winds, torrential rain and heavy snow tomorrow. Forecasters have even warned pet owners to keep their dogs on leads amid fears they could be swept away by strong waves on the coast as the 'high impact' storm closes in. As the UK and Ireland braces itself for what could be the 'storm of the century', meteorologists say they have 'never seen anything like it'. The UK was put on high alert this morning as red weather warnings for tomorrow covering Northern Ireland from 7am until 2pm and parts of Scotland, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, between 10am and 5pm, were issued. Fears over the impact of the storm are so severe that schools in Northern Ireland have been advised to close tomorrow, Stormont's Education Minister Paul Givan said. Storm Eowyn could spark travel hell, with Network Rail warning it is expected to bring 'the strongest winds in a decade' - as commuters were told to avoid travelling in parts of the north of the UK tomorrow. Tornados could also hit parts of the UK today, ahead of Storm Eowyn, with forecasters warning of a danger to life. Meanwhile, in the Republic of Ireland, this could be the storm of the century, BBC Weather said. Irish forecasters have already issued blanket red weather warnings covering all of the country for gales in excess of 80mph. But forecasters are predicting that gusts could even reach up to 140mph on the west coast of Ireland and up to 110mph in the Western Isles of Scotland tomorrow. The season's fifth named storm could be so bad that BBC weather presenter Judith Ralston said: 'This is one major storm. I've not seen anything like it in my career.' Another weather expert warned that Storm Eowyn could bring the lowest pressure to Scotland since 1982, making it one of the 'most intense' storms to hit the country in recent history.