Ireland affected by record winds; Scotland is preparing

Transport at the stop, closed schools and more than 800,000 households without electricity: the Eowyn storm sweeps away, Friday, January 24 in the morning, Ireland, placed on a red alert with violent winds, and Scotland is preparing for its passage. Rafales were measured at 183 km/h near Galway, on the west coast, beyond the previous record of 1945. In this same area, the average wind speed reached 135 km/h, unprecedented power, according to The Irish meteorology agency puts Eireann.

She warned that the storm would have the “Force of a hurricane”in certain regions of the west of the country. “It's a historical storm”Prime Minister Micheal Martin said on X, who arrived in power Thursday.

These winds and the rains that accompany them lead to significant disruptions, especially in transport, and more than 715,000 households, shops and businesses are without electricity. “The electrical infrastructure has undergone extensive and important, unprecedented damage”communicated the public electricity operator ESB, who has already warned that their restoration would take time.

“I call everyone to stay safe”said Micheal Martin, the Prime Minister, announcing an immediate crisis meeting with the emergency services, the army and the water and electricity operators. At Cork, Shannon and Dublin airports, many flights have been canceled. Dublin airport announced on X the abolition of around 230 flights on Friday morning.

The storm also affects the British province of Northern Ireland, where 93,000 households are electricity, according to the operator Nie Networks. The red alert with strong winds has been in effect for 7 hours (local time). This is the first time that such an alert has been decreed in the province since the implementation of the system in 2011.

“Cyclone eye”

The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Michelle O'Neill, warned that the province was currently “In the eye of the cyclone”. “We call on the population to stay safe, to be very cautious and to take all precautions to ensure that you do not make unnecessary trips. Please stay at home if you can ”She said on BBC Ulster radio. Schools do not welcome students on Friday, trains and buses do not circulate.

The Eowyn storm must then move to Scotland, where a red alert is in force in certain regions and where the authorities are preparing. Prime Minister John Swinney chaired a crisis meeting on Thursday afternoon. Parliament will not sit and schools are closed in most regions. The rail operator Scotrail has canceled all its trains and air traffic is also disrupted in the airports of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

The rest of the United Kingdom is also placed in a state of vigilance. The Environment Agency warned a risk of flooding in the south of England and the Midlands (center) in the coming days due to the expected bad weather.

This is the fifth storm striking Europe this season. The previous one, Darragh, had caused major disruptions in France in early December as well as in the United Kingdom, where she had left at least two dead.

Scientists regularly warn that climate change amplifies the destructive force of storms, cyclones, hurricanes and other typhoons on the whole planet. The warmer oceans release more water vapor, which provides additional energy to storms, whose winds are intensifying. The warming of the atmosphere also allows them to retain more water, which promotes strong precipitation.