The public has been urged to stay at home on Friday as a severe weather warning forces school closures and traffic disruption.
A red weather warning is in place from 7am until 2pm with gusts of up to 100mph expected along some exposed coasts with the arrival of Storm Éowyn. The Met Office has warned that damage to buildings is expected with the possibility of roofs being blown off and flying debris posing a serious hazard.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly described the situation as “very serious”.
Ms O’Neill said: “It’s important to emphasise that a red warning is very serious, it’s only used whenever there is a genuine threat to life and potential damage to property and the public should expect significant disruption to travel and also potential power outages because of the severity of conditions.”
Ms Little-Pengelly said experienced emergency teams are ready to respond during the expected severe weather in Northern Ireland on Friday.
What to know:
- What does the red weather warning mean?
- What is the Northern Ireland government’s response?
- What is the timeline?
“We have established co-ordination protocols, those have been activated, and experienced emergency teams are ready to respond as required. Agencies will be closely monitoring the situation over the coming hours as we work together to keep the people of Northern Ireland safe. You can play your part by following advice and only travelling if it is essential, and to work from home if you can.”
Follow live updates below
