Country braces for Storm Eowyn that may 'pose threat to life and property'

Met Éireann has issued a Status Orange wind warning for all 26 counties in the Republic of Ireland ahead of the arrival of Storm Éowyn later this week.

The orange warning is likely to be the first of multiple alerts issued in the coming days, with the forecaster having flagged “orange warnings as a minimum” after the storm was named on Tuesday and experts predicting it could be “the worst storm we have seen in years.”

The warning will come into effect from 2am on Friday until 5pm that evening.

The forecaster has warned that "severe, damaging and destructive winds" are expected, with gusts of up to 130km/h.

Stronger gusts than that are also possible, it added.

Met Éireann has warned that the strong winds will lead to fallen trees, and structural damage.

The alert reads: "Gale force southerly winds becoming westerly will bring severe, damaging and destructive winds with gusts of up to 130km/h widely, with even higher gusts for a time." Impacts include fallen trees, damage to power lines and power outages, structural damage, very difficult travelling conditions, disruption and cancellations to transport, and wave overtopping.

"People should expect very difficult travelling conditions and the potential for power outages."

Storm Éowyn is the fifth named storm of the 2024/25 storm season.

A weather advisory is also in place until midnight on Saturday. Met Eireann said: "On Thursday night and Friday, a deepening Low-Pressure system, Storm ÉOWYN (AY-OH-WIN), is forecast to track across Ireland. Very strong to gale force winds are expected across the country with the potential for damaging wind gusts and disruption in places.