Storm Eowyn maps show Met Office red warnings with 100mph gusts and chance of tornado

Storm Eowyn has brought five days of weather warnings to the UK with winds of up to 100mph forecast for Friday.

The wind is expected to be the strongest on the coast. (Getty)
The wind is expected to be the strongest on the coast. (Getty)

The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning for Northern Ireland and some of Scotland on Friday as Storm Eowyn threatens to bring gusts of up to 100mph and "flying debris resulting in danger to life."

The storm has led to five days of weather warnings being issued from Thursday through to Monday with all of the UK expected to be impacted.

Experts have warned that Eowyn will be one of the 'most severe' storms Ireland has ever experienced, as schools were urged to close across Northern Ireland and people in Scotland told not to travel.

Forecasters are warning the areas covered by the red warning will face widespread disruption with "very dangerous" driving conditions. They also said people should expect power cuts, damage to buildings, road and rail closures, and very large waves along the coast.

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The Met Office also said they'd seen evidence "consistent with a tornado having occurred in Cornwall" on Thursday morning. They had warned earlier in the day there was a chance tornadoes could occur in Wales.

A number of train companies have told people not to travel in parts of Wales and Scotland due to the forecast strong winds and snow.

The Met Office has warned that an explosive cyclogenesis, sometimes known as a weather bomb, will create "exceptionally dangerous" conditions in some of the worst-hit areas.

Storm Eowyn is expected to make landfall in Ireland on Thursday before moving to Great Britain on Friday.

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BBC weather forecaster Chris Fawkes said on Wednesday morning that the storm was "exceptionally dangerous", adding: "It may be the strongest system we’ve seen across this part of the world since storm Debbie hit in the 1960s."

Storm Debbie, also known as Hurricane Debbie, caused significant flooding and damage in September 1961. It led to the deaths of 15 people in Ireland and brought record rainfall, with some areas receiving over 300mm in 24 hours, resulting in widespread flooding and destruction.

The change to conditions this week is being caused by a powerful jet stream pushing low pressure across the Atlantic and towards the UK, following a recent cold spell over North America, the Met Office said.

On Thursday a wind warning is in place from 7am to 6pm covering most of the coast of Wales and all of the south coast.

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As Storm Eowyn hits on Friday, a red warning for Northern Ireland applies from 7am to 2pm, with strong winds associated with the storm causing very dangerous conditions. Parts of central Scotland are also under a red weather warning from 10am to 5pm.

The wind warning lasts from 7am until 6pm on Thursday. (Met Office)
The wind warning lasts from 7am until 6pm on Thursday. (Met Office)

There are also two amber warnings in place for "very strong wind and widespread disruption", with one covering northern Scotland from 1pm on Friday until 6am on Saturday.

The second is in place from 6am to 9pm on Friday, stretching from the north of Wales up the east of England and stopping north of Edinburgh

The rest of the country is covered in yellow warnings for wind lasting throughout Friday, with some disruption expected. There is also a yellow snow warning covering much of Scotland and northern England from 3am to midday on Friday.

The weather warnings in place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (Met Office)
The weather warnings in place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (Met Office)

A yellow warning for heavy rain is also in place for the southeast of England and most of Wales from midnight on Thursday until 9am on Friday.

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Moving into Saturday the amber wind warning in northern Scotland will remain in place until 6am with a wider yellow warning for wind covering the whole country in place from midnight until 3pm.

On Sunday fresh warnings for wind will be in place from 8am until 3pm covering Northern Ireland, Wales, most of western England and the western tip of Scotland. A warning for rain will also be in place from 8am on Sunday until 6am on Monday.

Yellow wind warning, Thursday 7am-6pm

  • South Coast of England, South West England and parts of Wales.

Red wind warning, Friday 10am-5pm

  • Central Scotland, South West Scotland, Lothian Borders and Strathclyde.

Red wind warning, Friday 7am-3pm

  • Northern Ireland.

Amber wind warning, Friday 6am-9pm

  • Central Scotland East Midlands, Grampian, Highlands, North East England, North West England, Northern Ireland, South West Scotland, Strathclyde, Wales and Yorkshire & Humber.

Amber wind warning, Friday to Saturday 1pm-6am

  • Central, Tayside & Fife, Grampian, Highlands & Eilean Siar, Orkney & Shetland and Strathclyde.

Yellow wind warning, all day Friday

  • All of the UK except for London and parts of the East Midlands, east and southeast of England.

Yellow wind warning, Friday 5am-3pm

  • London & South East England, East of England and the East Midlands.

Yellow snow warning, Friday, 3am-12pm

  • North East England, Highlands, North West England, SW Scotland, Grampian, Strathclyde and Yorkshire & Humber.

Yellow rain warning, Friday midnight-9am

  • South West England, Wales and the West Midlands.

Yellow wind warning, Saturday midnight-3pm

  • All of Scotland.

Yellow wind warning, Sunday 8am-3pm

  • London & South East England, North West England, Northern Ireland, South West Scotland, Lothian Borders, South West England, Strathclyde, Wales and the West Midlands.

Yellow rain warning, Sunday to Monday 8am-6am

  • The East Midlands, East of England, London & South East England, North West England, South West England, Wales, and the West Midlands.

National Highways, which operates motorways and major A roads in England, has urged motorists in the north west, north east and Yorkshire to plan for disruption on Friday. It has warned of "a particularly high risk" that high-sided vehicles, caravans and motorbikes could be blown over.

The AA said: "Drivers should consider if their journey is necessary or consider waiting until the storm has passed. If you need to travel, choose main roads if you can, as these are less likely to be exposed to fallen branches and debris."

Rail passengers could become stranded in the north of England on Friday as LNER has warned there will be no trains in either direction north of Newcastle from 11am on Friday.

Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, and Grand Central have told customers not to travel during Storm Eowyn on routes across parts of North Wales and Scotland.

National Rail said in a statement: "Strong winds can blow trees into infrastructure, damaging the overhead lines that power electric trains.

"The winds can mean it’s unsafe to carry out repairs at height – or with certain machinery until the winds have dropped. Trains may have to run at a reduced speed causing delays to your journey."

For those of you wondering, no, it is not an Irish spelling of the name "Owen".

The Met Office's Andrea Bishop said during a forecast of the storm that the name is pronounced: "Ay-oh-win."

Issuing guidance to those affected by the yellow warning area, the Met Office advises people to check for loose items outside their homes and think about how to secure them to protect their property.

This could include bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.

Travellers should give themselves the best possible chance by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, to avoid delays.

Stocking up on torches, batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essentials will help in the event of a power cut.

Those near the coast should take care if walking near cliffs, should be sure of the route they are taking and should keep dogs on a lead. Even from the shore, large breaking waves can sweep you off your feet and out to sea, the Met Office warns.

Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly, the forecaster adds, advising people to stay up to date with forecasts in their area.

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