Hundreds of thousands of people were stranded in Ireland on Friday, an unusually high number for a small country, as record-breaking winds swept across the island.
Storm Eowyn was expected to bring gales on Friday, according to the Irish Meteorological Service. Forecasters also said it would see strong winds in northern Northern Ireland and northern and western parts of Scotland, England and Wales.
Gusts of up to 70mph have been forecast and the hills and coasts of the Irish Sea, as well as south-west Scotland, could experience gusts of up to 100mph. At 5 a.m., a gust of 114 mph was recorded in Western Ireland at Mace Head, County Galway, setting a record in 1945.
ESB Networks, Ireland's state-owned power company, said about 715,000 customers were without power on Friday morning, a third of the utility's about 2.4 million general customers.
Eowyn, Ireland forecast, will bring Rain Showers and showers and longer rain in northern Ireland. There was a chance of sleet and snow in the Scottish Highlands, according to the forecast. England's Met Office warned of “very hazardous conditions with widespread disruption and significant impacts”.
Strong winds disrupted travel in Ireland, Scotland and northern England. Northern Rail, the British train company, urged its customers to travel on Friday and Saturday due to severe disruption from the storm.
Hundreds of flights are located at airports in Ireland and Britain. Belfast International Airport, in Northern Ireland, urged travelers to stay home on Friday and said it was experiencing intermittent power outages. Travelers should check with their airlines regarding the status of their flights.
A strong jet stream—a high-altitude current of fast-moving air that drives global weather patterns west to east—helped Eowyn gain strength. The jet stream, which can also speed up airplane travel, is generally 190 to 220 mph, but this week it is strengthening to 260 mph.
Eowyn does The worst storm to hit Ireland since 2017At least three people were killed in the Atlantic, one of the strongest storms on record in the northeast.
Nazaneen Ghaffar contributing report.