Storm Eowyn Latest... Here's what you need to know
Ireland now feeling the full impact of Storm Éowyn, Met Éireann has warned that the latest weather front could bring with it a possible "danger to life".
Meath is under a Red weather warning for wind from 6am until 11am.
We will keep this page updated across the next 24 hours. We'd appreciate you in helping us keep the county informed. Please email any information to news@meathchronicle.ie
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Friday 15:20
Storm Éowyn: Impact and Response by eir at 15:00
"Storm Éowyn has caused significant and widespread disruptions to telecommunications services across Ireland. The storm’s severity has resulted in approximately 26,000 fixed voice faults and 63,000 fixed broadband faults, primarily due to power outages at exchanges and on our core network. This has left approximately 160,000 homes and businesses without broadband connectivity. There are outages at approximately 30% of mobile network sites. ESB has confirmed that at least 725,000 homes and businesses are currently without power, further compounding the situation.
"To support our customers during this challenging time, eir has deployed backup power to 1,300 Fixed Network sites and 200 Mobile Network sites. eir has commenced mobile generator deployment where it is safe to do so and our teams remain on standby to restore services promptly once conditions permit.
"Service restoration for core and mobile networks will proceed as a priority. It is expected that there will be a significant number of individual faults in addition to this, but the full impact of this will only become clear after power is restored and after resolution teams have prioritised making fallen poles and lines safe. Each individual fault will require a separate repair visit, and it will take some time for the full picture to emerge."
Friday 15:00
Somewhere in there under the latest Powercheck map image, is Co Meath. Spare a though for the ESB crews flat to the mat trying to get the lights back on....
Check your specific location at https://powercheck.esbnetworks.ie/
Friday 13:30
Meath County Council - Public safety is paramount
The Meath County Council Severe Weather Assessment team convened this morning at 8am and 10am and 12pm to evaluate the impact of Storm Éowyn.
As we assess the situation at this stage, multiple power outages have been reported across various areas of the county, affecting residential and commercial properties alike.
As of 10:30am, our customer service portal had logged 44 specific reports of fallen trees that are obstructing key roadways throughout Meath.
Prior to the activation of the red weather warning, fire service crews had already reported to their respective stations.
An Garda Síochána has been monitoring the situation and reported that there are currently no major incidents or emergencies in the County requiring immediate attention.
To continue our assessment and respond to the evolving situation, the Severe Weather Assessment Team is scheduled to reconvene at regular intervals throughout the day.
An Orange weather warning is in place until 4.00pm. Please stay indoors and stay safe. YOUR SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT.
Friday 13:00
725,000 homes and premises without power as of lunchtime Friday
ESB Networks has said around 725,000 customers are without power, while some 93,000 homes and businesses were without electricity in Northern Ireland.
Regional Manager with ESB Networks, Brian Tapley said it could take up to a week to restore power to everyone
Uisce Éireann crews assessing impact of Storm Éowyn on water supplies
Uisce Éireann crews are assessing the impact of Storm Éowyn on water supplies across the country following last night’s violent storms.
Significant disruption to supply is expected due to widespread power outages impacting on water and wastewater treatment plants, pumping station and other network assets. Approximately 150,000 customers may be at risk of water supply disruption during the day as a result. However the majority should still have water due to storage in reservoirs.
Our incident management processes have been stood up and crews will mobilise to assess damage to plants and begin restoring normal supplies once the red-level warning has lifted and it is safe to do so. We are also in touch with key stakeholders through the National Emergency Coordination Group and with the ESB to coordinate the return of power to key water services sites post storm.
In areas where supply has been disrupted, most properties should have adequate storage in their attic tanks for hygiene purposes for at least 24 hours. However customers are urged to conserve water where possible in order to protect supply while the outages are resolved. There are some simple steps people can take to conserve their water, such as avoiding the use of water-intensive appliances during this time. To learn more about conserving water, visit www.water.ie/conserve.
Customers can stay informed about their local water supply by visiting our website, via Uisce Éireann’s X feed, @IWCare, or by signing up for our free text alert service via the website. Alternatively get in touch via our 24/7 customer care centre at 1800 278 278.
Friday 08:45
The latest from Bus Eireann and travel schedules
Bus Éireann would like to advise all customers that there will be significant service cancellations, both on Thursday night, 23 January and Friday 24 January, due to the national Red Weather warnings as a result of Storm Éowyn.
To ensure the health and safety of our customers and employees, no services will operate for the duration of this Red Weather Warning. Further disruptions are likely both prior to, and after, the Red Weather Warning times to allow time to safely suspend services and then assess any damage on routes to allow us to restart operations.
Full details of all service cancellations for both days will be posted on the Service Updates section of our website.
Friday 08:30
A record-breaking 715,000 homes, farms and businesses are without power, according to ESB Networks. Brian Tapley of ESB Networks says that figure will rise before the day is out. Could be at least a WEEK before everyone has power restored!
Power outages as a result of the storm will not be restored initially. Priority for crews will be downed power lines where there is a danger to the public.
Friday 07:45
‘Winds not yet at strongest’ over northern and midland counties with more power cuts expected, warns Met Éireann
Friday 07:40
Friday 07:12
Storm Éowyn live: Strongest wind speed ever recorded in Ireland as thousands without power
- Gusts of 139 and 137 km/h were also recorded in Knock and Shannon respectively.
The record for the maximum speed ever of a gust of wind in Ireland has been broken overnight, as a gust of 183km/h was recorded at Mace Head in Co Galway.
Met Éireann said the previous record of 182 km/h has stood since 1945.
Friday 06:45
Worth noting too that with power outages, there can be no estimated restoration times as emergency crews cannot be dispatched in these conditions, so will be at least 11am before ESB Networks teams beging the onerous task of trying to get the country back on line. It will be a LONG day for us all.
Friday 06.30
Alan O'Reilly of Carlow Weather lays it out
"This is a storm like you have never seen before in Ireland. Please heed Red warnings the warnings"
Wind Speeds: Athenry 139kph Guteen 124kph Claremorris 124kph
Friday 06:00
Over 500,000 homes with power - ESB declares outages 'unprecedented'
Meath has entered the critical 'Red Alert' zone (6am) and this will continue until 11am. However the county has alredy been feeling the wrath of Eowyn with towns, villages and townlands across the county reporting power outages. This is the latest ESB Powercheck map as of 6am.
Friday 01.20:
As expected, major flights disruption tomorrow with Ryanair cancelling dozens of flights. Please check with your operator if travelling tomorrow.
FRIDAY 01:00
Serious power outages across the south of the country and we're still hours ahead of full Red Alert times. (Keep up to date with powercheck.ie)
Thursday 23:00
Let no one take the warnings about this storm lightly...
Thursday 22:40
Latest Information from Meath County Council can be found here
Thursday 22:00
Emergency Contact Numbers
Meath County Council Customer Service - 046 909 7000
Meath Customer Service Email - customerservice@meathcoco.ie
Meath County Council will be also providing updates on their social media platforms.
Ambulance, Fire Service, Gardaí, Coast Guard - 112/999
ESB Emergency Services - 1800 372 999.
Power updates on www.PowerCheck.ie
Uisce Éireann Emergency Line - 1800 278 278
Water supply updates on www.water.ie
Follow Met Éireann updates on www.met.ie
Thursday 22:00
Thursday: 16.40
Bettystown councillor Sharon Tolan is urging the public to avoid sea swimming and travelling to the coastal area during Storm Éowyn.
"We are urging people to Stay away from the beach and under no circumstances should anyone swim or walk the beach during a red weather warning," said Tolan.
"Stay well back from the coast, we are expecting the sea to be very rough," she added.
This storm is not expected to result in serious flooding and Tolan is hopeful home owners will come away unscathed on this occasion.
"Certainly there will be heavy showers throughout but there isn't a huge amount of rain fall expected," she said.
"Tide times look to be with us during this event," she added.
Thursday 15.00
The HSE has warned of a number of cancellations due to "severe" Storm Eowyn.
Health services across the country have been impacted as the entire country is placed under a red weather alert tomorrow.
HSE chiefs have said non-urgent health services will be cancelled on Friday.
Hospitals and community healthcare services will be impacted across the country as "one of the most severe" storms hits Ireland.
This includes outpatient appointments and primary care clinic visits.
Day services for older people, those with disabilities and community mental health support services have also been cancelled.
Critical emergency services will continue to run. This includes ambulance, emergency department and prenatal care for pregnant mothers. Contact your service if you have concerns. Injury units will also remain open,
For patients receiving critical treatments like dialysis or cancer care, the relevant unit will reach out if there are any changes.
Check up-to-date opening times of the injury unit nearest to you.
Thursday: 16.40
Bettystown councillor Sharon Tolan is urging the public to avoid sea swimming and travelling to the coastal area during Storm Éowyn.
"We are urging people to Stay away from the beach and under no circumstances should anyone swim or walk the beach during a red weather warning," said Tolan.
"Stay well back from the coast, we are expecting the sea to be very rough," she added.
This storm is not expected to result in serious flooding and Tolan is hopeful home owners will come away unscathed on this occasion.
"Certainly there will be heavy showers throughout but there isn't a huge amount of rain fall expected," she said.
"Tide times look to be with us during this event," she added.
Thursday 14.40
"Significant" Bus Eireann service cancellations from this evening
Bus Éireann have advised that there will be "significant service cancellations" both tonight night and on Friday.
No services will operate for the duration of the Red Weather Warning. Further disruptions are likely.
Full details of all service cancellations for both days are being posted on Bus Eireann's Service Updates.
Thursday 14.25
Storm Éowyn - Red Weather Warning for Meath
Valid: 06:00 Friday 24/1/2025 to 11:00 Friday 24/1/2025
All Meath County Council offices, libraries and public spaces will be closed to the public during this time.
Emergency numbers and links:
• Meath County Council Customer Service - 046 909 700
• Customer Service Email - customerservice@meathcoco.ie
• Ambulance, Fire Service, Gardaí, Coast Guard - 112/999
• ESB Emergency Services - 1800 372 999.
• Power updates on www.PowerCheck.ie
• Uisce Éireann Emergency Line - 1800 278 278
• Water supply updates on www.water.ie
• Follow Met Éireann updates on www.met.ie
Thursday 13.05:
Meath Co Co has advised the public not to travel during a Status Red Weather Warning and to stay indoors and stay safe
In a statement the local authority said that severe, damaging and extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h, which can constitute a threat to life and property, are expected and that fallen trees, debris and power outages are likely.
A spokesperson said:
"The electricity network is expected to be severely impacted so the public are advised to prepare for the arrival of the storm including ensuring their mobile phone is fully charged to enable communications.
"Meath County Council crews will not be mobilised during a Red Weather event but there are plans in place to coordinate an effective, efficient response once it is safe to do so.
"In an emergency, please call 999/112."
Thursday: 12.40
Gardai issue warning to public ahead of weather event that is "dangerous and destructive with potential serious risk to life"
Gardai have issued an urgent warning to the public ahead of Storm Éowyn a weather event that is "dangerous, damaging and destructive with potential serious risk to life and injury for people who do not follow safety advice."
The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) is coordinating a national response to the Status Red weather warnings.
People in areas during the times affected by red warnings are being urged to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel and take action to protect themselves and their properties.
A Garda spokesperson said:
"Members of the Public should prepare today for Storm Éowyn. Please ensure that property, garden furniture and other loose material on your properties are secured.
"Today is the time to be a community, to check on isolated and vulnerable family, friends and neighbours. Please ensure that they are aware of and prepared for this storm event.
"Sea conditions and waves will be dangerous. Do not approach coastlines; Stay Back, Stay High, Stay Dry.
"Do not put yourself or members of the emergency services at risk during this period."
Wednesday: 19:00:
Council mobilises Severe Weather Assessment team
Message from Meath Co Council Chief Executive, Kieran Kehoe to county councillors
"I wish to advise you that Meath County Council’s Severe Weather Assessment team has met to prepare for Storm Éowyn, in advance of the status red weather warning that is in place from 6.00am to 12 noon on Friday, January 24. Met Eireann forecasts can be viewed at Met Eireann.
"Crews will not be mobilised during the red weather event; however, plans are being developed to coordinate an effective and efficient response when the County transitions to an orange status during daylight hours. Our Fire Services and Civil Defence crews will be on standby should their assistance be requested.
"Our housing department will reach out to known rough sleepers and provide emergency accommodation during the weather event.
"We would appreciate it if you would share the Council’s social media messages once they are published in the coming days. The key safety message is to stay indoors and to stay safe.
"Meath County Council’s Severe Weather Assessment Team will continue over the coming days, and I will keep you informed as the situation develops.
Wednesday: 18:00
The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) met today (Wednesday) as red level weather warnings have been issued for 22 counties (including Meath) and Storm Éowyn is forecast to bring very dangerous and destructive winds on Thursday night and Friday.
A status red severe weather warning means ‘shelter in place’. People in the areas affected by red warnings should stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel and take action to protect themselves and their properties.
Schools, early learning and childcare settings and further and higher education institutions in red level warning areas will close for the duration of the red warning.
Employers in red warning areas should facilitate working from home for all employees who can do so. Only emergency service workers should be leaving home for work, where directed by their employer.
Widespread disruption to public and other services is to be anticipated.
Keith Leonard, Chair of the NECG, said:
“Storm Éowyn is going to be a very dangerous and destructive weather event. The forecasted winds have the capacity to bring severe, damaging winds which will constitute a risk to life and property. During the Red Level wind warnings, the public are advised to shelter in place.
“Where Orange warnings are in place, the public are also advised to limit travel to essential journeys only. An orange wind warning should not be underestimated – it can bring extremely strong gusts and can also pose a threat to life and property.
“I would urge people to stay away from coastal areas during this period and to heed the appeal from the Irish Coast Guard for people to ‘Stay Back, Stay High, Stay Dry’.
"It’s also important to remember that even after the storm has passed, there is a strong possibility of fallen trees and other debris so drivers are also urged to take care in the aftermath of the storm.”
Storm Éowyn will bring gale force winds, including severe, damaging and destructive gusts of up to 130km/h widely, with even higher gusts possible.
Where red warnings are in place, likely impacts will include:
extremely dangerous travelling conditions
cancellation of events
wave overtopping
coastal flooding in low lying and exposed areas
unsafe working conditions
fallen trees
significant and widespread power outages
structural damage
disruption and cancellations to transport
The NECG is continuing to liaise with Met Éireann and monitor the situation to coordinate an appropriate response.
On the ground, Local Authority Severe Weather Assessment Teams (SWATs) will continue to monitor conditions locally and emergency response teams will be in place, ready to respond where and when necessary.