Ireland and part of the United Kingdom were placed on “red alert” on Thursday January 23 as Storm Eowyn approached, with national weather agencies warning that winds could reach more than 130 kilometers per hour on Friday ( km/h). The entire territory of the Republic of Ireland is subject to a red alert, from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. local time (from 3 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Paris), decreed by the Met Eireann organization. “This will be a dangerous, destructive weather event that will cause damage”warned the head of the emergency coordination group, Keith Leonard, as Éowyn approached.
In the United Kingdom, the entire country is placed on alert, but the Met Office weather agency has declared a rare red alert, from 7 a.m. local time (8 a.m. in Paris) for Ireland from Northern and parts of southern and central Scotland. This is the first time that such an alert has been issued in Northern Ireland since this system was put in place in 2011. This level of vigilance is “reserved for the most severe events, which represent a probable risk to life [de la population] and strong disruptions »said Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen. In addition to these strong winds, the storm will bring intense rain and snow in places.
Around 4.5 million people living in risk areas were to receive a sound alert on their phone and a message containing information and recommendations relating to their safety on Thursday evening, around 7 p.m., a government spokesperson announced. . This is the first time that this device has been used on such a scale in the country, he said.
Rail traffic suspended, schools closed
In Northern Ireland, rail traffic and buses will not run. Schools will not welcome students on Friday. “We want people to stay safe (…). We only recommend essential travel”said Prime Minister Michelle O'Neill.
-In Scotland, where the red alert begins at 10 a.m. local time (11 a.m. in Paris), police are advising residents not to drive, and Prime Minister John Swinney has advised people to ” take [ces conseils] take it seriously and stay safe”. He chaired a crisis meeting Thursday afternoon. The Scottish Parliament will not sit, and schools will be closed in most areas.
The railway operator ScotRail has also canceled all trains scheduled for Friday, saying that“it was not safe to operate its passenger transport services due to the forecast weather conditions”. The Environment Agency has warned of a risk of flooding in the south of England and the Midlands (central) over the coming days due to the expected bad weather.
Scientists regularly warn that climate change is amplifying the destructive force of storms, cyclones, hurricanes or typhoons across the planet. Warmer oceans release more water vapor, which provides additional energy to storms, whose winds intensify. Warming of the atmosphere also allows them to retain more water, which encourages heavy precipitation.
