Two dead across UK and Ireland as storm's death toll rises
WATCH: Dougie Beattie reports from Killyleigh as Storm Eowyn hits the UK
GB News
Two people are now thought to have died in Storm Eowyn after a tree was blown over onto a man's car in Ireland's County Donegal.
"A male driver was fatally injured during the incident. The body of the deceased remains at the scene at this time," Irisih police said - just hours after reports emerged of a man having been killed in Scotland.
Emergency services had rushed to East Road in Irvine at around 10.10am on Friday after receiving reports of an unresponsive 49-year-old man, according to the Scottish Daily Express.
One neighbour said: "I believe he was found lying under the archway. On any other morning I would have been out and would have seen him," while further reports indicate the 49-year-old was hit by falling tiles.
A Police Scotland statement said: "Around 10.10am on Friday, January 24, 2025, we were called to a report of an unresponsive man in East Road, Irvine. Emergency services attended and a 49-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His family is aware.
"The death is being treated as unexplained but it is not believed to be suspicious. A report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal."
Five weather warnings remain in place across the UK - two amber wind warnings, one yellow wind warning, a yellow snow warning and a yellow snow and ice warning.
The larger of the two amber alerts, which stretches from Manchester to Glasgow, is set to come to a close at 9pm - while the other, from Glasgow to the Shetland Islands, will remain in place until 6am tomorrow.
The yellow snow and ice warning, which covers Northern Ireland, is set to stay in place until 10am tomorrow, while the remaining two yellow warnings - which stretch from South Wales to the Shetlands - will finish at midnight.
Almost 2,000 objects block roads in Northern Ireland
The Department of Infrastructure has said that more than 1,800 objects are blocking roads in Northern Ireland as Storm Eowyn rages on.
A spokesperson said: "Staff are on standby to respond to incidents, but our response time is being affected by the adverse conditions and incidents will have to prioritised accordingly."
Asst Chief Constable Davy Beck, who is in charge of the storm response operation, added: "We are still not out of the potential risks in respect of this storm.
"I ask the public to consider this and question yourself around is your journey absolutely necessary until such times as the storm has totally passed."
From earlier: Winds reach 100mph as hundreds of flights cancelled and thousands left without power
Wind speeds have topped 100mph today as Storm Eowyn continues to batter Britain and Ireland, with thousands left without power and travel chaos unfolding across the country.
The first named storm of 2025 reached three-figure wind speeds at Drumalbin in South Lanarkshire in Scotland - the strongest gust so far today in the UK, the Met Office said.
While in Ireland, a record-breaking wind speed of 114 mph was measured in Mace Head, County Galway on Friday morning, Met Eireann said.
Despite the soaring wind speeds, residents in Northern Ireland have been handed a brief respite, with the Met Office downgrading the country's red warning to amber.
The total number of warnings now stands at six - one red, two amber and three yellow.
On Friday, about 20 per cent of all flights scheduled to operate to or from airports in the UK or Ireland have been cancelled, according to Aviation analytics company Cirium.
A total of 1,124 flights have been cancelled, with Dublin, Edinburgh, Heathrow and Glasgow airports the worst affected.
While on the ground, rail operator ScotRail suspended all services across Scotland, saying it "would not be safe to operate passenger services", while Avanti West Coast, LNER, West Midlands Railway, Lumo, Transport for Wales and South Western Railway lines have also been disrupted.
Motorists in areas covered by red and amber weather warnings have been told to avoid travel "unless absolutely essential".
Man dies in Scotland after 'being hit by falling roof tiles' - first death attributed to Storm Eowyn
A 49-year-old man has died in Scotland after "being hit by falling roof tiles" amid Storm Eowyn, the Scottish Daily Express reports.
Emergency services had descended on East Road in Irvine at around 10.10am on Friday after receiving reports of an unresponsive man.
One East Road resident said: "I believe he was found lying under the archway. On any other morning I would have been out and would have seen him," while further reports indicate the 49-year-old was hit by falling tiles.
While a Police Scotland statement said: "Around 10.10am on Friday, January 24, 2025, we were called to a report of an unresponsive man in East Road, Irvine. Emergency services attended and a 49-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His family is aware.
"The death is being treated as unexplained but it is not believed to be suspicious. A report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal."
From earlier: Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland engulfed in blackouts as damage from Storm Eowyn surges
Power cuts are impacting large parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland as Storm Eowyn passes across the country.
On Friday morning, a suspected sting jet caused winds measuring 114mph were recorded at Mace Head, Co Galway, which is provisionally the strongest gust ever recorded in Ireland, the Met Office added in a post on X.
There was an estimated 10,000 people without power in Ayrshire, East Lothian, Falkirk, the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway, according to SP Energy Networks.
Energy supplier SSEN said they had increased their response teams to "10 times the usual levels" with the central belt and south west under a red "danger to life" weather alert for wind.
A statement from SP Energy said: "Storm Eowyn has caused damage to our electricity network. Engineers are currently assessing the damage and when it is safe to commence repairs will make every effort to restore supplies as quickly as possible by 24/01/2025 21:03."
A top speed of 96mph has been recorded on Friday at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland, the Met Office has said. This is slightly higher than the day’s previous top speed of 93mph measured at Aberdaron in Gwynedd, north Wales this morning.
Network Rail said it has taken "the difficult decision" to close the West Coast Main Line north of Preston and the East Coast Main Line north of Newcastle for much of Friday. Passengers on the East Coast main line, which links London King’s Cross with northeast England and Scotland, will face disruption all weekend.
Glasgow and Edinburgh airports saw dozens of flights cancelled in the morning due to bad weather conditions.
Over 1,100 flights grounded across UK and Ireland
Flights have been cancelled at Heathrow Airport
PA
Aviation analytics company Cirium said as of 1pm, around 1,124 flights scheduled to operate to or from airports in the UK or Ireland on Friday have been cancelled.
That is equivalent to approximately 20 per cent of all flights.
The worst affected airports in terms of the number of cancellations are Dublin, Edinburgh and Heathrow.
‘Weather bomb’ brings 50 per cent drop in energy prices as Storm Eowyn brings 100mph wind power boost
A powerful "weather bomb" will slash electricity prices by half, even as it brings dangerous winds of up to 100mph to parts of the country.
The Met Office has issued its highest-level red warning for Northern Ireland and southern Scotland, where the storm threatens widespread disruption and damage.
THe storm is hitting Britain just as the country recovers from a period of very low renewable energy production, which had caused electricity prices to soar to seven times their usual levels before the pandemic.
Warning of widespread road closures across Scotland
Several roads have been closed across Scotland, including the A1 between Spott Roundabout and Cockburnspath, East Lothian due to a number of overturned vehicles.
The A709 was closed on the Lockerbie side of Lochmaben in Dumfries and Galloway due to fallen trees between Lochmaben High Street and the Halleaths junction.
The A75 had closures at Collin bypass and Skyreburn Bridge, Dumfries and Galloway, due to fallen trees, as does the A76 at Newbridge, Leswalt High Road in Stranraer, the A746 at Glasserton Road, Newton Stewart, and the A709 at various places surrounding the Lockerbie area.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has 10 flood alerts and three flood warnings in place.
Motorists warned to stay out of Dumfries and Galloway
Workers remove a fallen tree on Regent Road, Edinburgh
PA
Vehicles have been blown over and roads in some areas are closed due to debris from Storm Eowyn, with a gust of 86mph recorded at Dundrennan in Dumfries and Galloway at 9am. Police Scotland said no motorists should travel in or to the red weather warning area.
The Met Office red warning runs until 5pm and covers the central belt including Glasgow and Edinburgh, stretching north on the west coast to Jura in Argyll and Bute.
It originally stretched south to Stranraer in Dumfries and Galloway but at around 11am this was extended to cover most of Dumfries and Galloway.
A yellow warning of wind covering the whole of Scotland is in force until midnight, an amber warning of wind south of Mull in the west to Montrose in the east is in force until 9pm, and an amber wind warning for northern Scotland is in force from 1pm on Friday until 6am on Saturday.
Over 2,500 Scots facing power cut after Storm Eowyn strikes
More than 2,500 Scots are without power as a result of Storm Eowyn, according to a major energy provider.
The Scottish and Southern Electricity Network (SSEN) said on Friday that 2,621 customers are currently without power across the country, a number it said is likely to increase throughout the day.
As of 10am, SSEN says power has been restored to 6,568 customers who were also previously without electricity. The company said it has "at least 10 times" the usual number of staff working in response to the storm.
Around 2,620 customers are currently off supply, and SSEN says the figure is likely to rise throughout the day.
WATCH: GB News Scotland reporter Tony McGuire reports from Ayrshire
Over 1,000 flights cancelled across UK and Irish airports
Research from Aviation analytics company Cirium said 1,070 flights scheduled to operate to/from airports in the UK or Ireland on Friday have been cancelled.
Experts estimated this was the equivalent to 20 per cent of all flights.
The worst affected airports in terms of the number of cancellations are Dublin (119 departures, 109 arrivals), Edinburgh (81 departures, 77 arrivals), Heathrow (50 departures, 58 arrivals) and Glasgow (43 departures, 42 arrivals).
Motorway chaos sees drivers stuck in hours-long delays as Storm Eowyn batters UK - 'Avoid the roads!'
Drivers are being urged to consider whether they need to travel during the dangerous conditions NATIONAL HIGHWAYS Drivers are being warned of long traffic delays across major motorways around the UK as the country is battered by Storm Eowyn.
The Met Office has issued several yellow, amber and rare red warnings as Storm Eowyn brings winds of more than 100mph and torrential rain.
At present, the M25 in Kent is closed anti-clockwise between J3 (M20 J1/Swanley) and J2 (Dartford) following a collision.
BBC Strictly fans slam live tour bosses over Storm Eowyn statement as red weather warning forces show axe
The Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour has cancelled its Friday performance at Glasgow's OVO Hydro due to severe weather warnings for Storm Eowyn.
The show has been rescheduled following the Met Office's rare red alert for Friday, with forecasts predicting wind speeds of up to 100mph in some parts of Scotland.
The performance was set to be one of three planned shows at the Glasgow venue, but organisers were forced to postpone due to safety concerns as the storm approaches.
Wind speeds reach 93mph in north Wales
The Met Office said a gust of 93mph has been recorded at Aberdaron in Gwynedd, north Wales.
The strongest gust ever recorded in the UK is 142 mph, at Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire in eastern Scotland, on February 13, 1989.
Red warnings are in place in Northern Ireland from 7am until 2pm on Friday, and for western and central areas of Scotland between 10am and 5pm, with speeds of up to 100mph likely along coasts, the forecaster said.
Amber wind warnings are also in place for Northern Ireland, the southern half of Scotland, northern England and north Wales between 6am and 9pm on Friday, and the northern half of Scotland from 1pm on Friday to 6am on Saturday.
Winds reaching 60 to 70mph will be widespread in these areas, with up to 90mph possible on coastal areas.
Edinburgh 'like a ghost town' as red alert comes into place in Scotland
Princes Street, Edinburgh during Storm Eowyn
PA
Residents in Edinburgh have said the city is "apocalyptic" as the red alert for wind has come into place.
Martin Pyke told GB News: "Edinburgh is like a ghost town, Princes Street is usually a bustling hub of commerce and tourism on a Friday, but today it’s apocalyptic. It's really windy."
Flights at Edinburgh Airport have been grounded, with commuters in Central and West Scotland urged not to travel.
Residents in Scotland urged not to travel as mainland braces for Storm Eowyn
Scotland’s Deputy First Minister has urged Scots in the central belt to follow the advice not to travel.
Appearing on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme, Kate Forbes said: "It is so important that people follow Police Scotland’s advice not to travel because if people stay at home and don’t travel then it means they don’t invite that risk to themselves."
Forbes also warned that recovery from Storm Eowyn could "take longer than we all hope."
"It is important our expectations are managed by how quickly things can return to normal and there may well be continuing disruption tomorrow."
Northern rail services hit with widespread disruption across Greater Manchester and Yorkshire
Train operator Northern said many of its routes are closed because of severe weather.
Some lines are blocked between Manchester Oxford Road and Warrington Central because of a fallen tree.
Services on these routes are also being disrupted by severe weather: Between Bradford Forster Square and Ilkley; Bradford Forster Square and Skipton; Leeds and Bradford Forster Square; Leeds and Ilkley; and Leeds and Skipton.
WATCH: GB News reporter Dougie Beattie battered by storm Eowyn as he reports from Northern Ireland
Dougie Beattie updates us on the weather in Northern Ireland as forecasters have warned of a 'threat to life' as Storm Eowyn sweeps through Britain.
Dougie told GB News viewers: "The winds are definitely picking up as we speak. The worst of it due to hit here in the next probably 20 minutes, and then it will stay there by 3:00 this afternoon."
Stormont deputy First Minister urges people to stay at home
The Deputy First Minister at Stormont Emma Little-Pengelly has urged residents in Northern Ireland to stay at home as Storm Eowyn makes landfall.
The DUP MLA for Langan Valley told the BBC: "The strong advice is to stay home.
"And that’s important, of course, because if people go out, the risk to life is from debris because of the high winds, if people go out and get into a situation, then that is calling out those essential workers that are there.
"We don’t want people to have to come out to deal with those. So we are advising everybody stays at home. There’s a significant outage on the electricity."
'Half a million premises' without power in Ireland
Officials in Ireland have reported that more than half a million premises in Ireland are without power.
There has been "unprecedented widespread and extensive damage" due to Storm Eowyn.
Residents are being advised not to approach any fallen wires or damaged electricity network infrastructure and contact the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) as soon as possible.
Rail services and flights cancelled across the country
A road sign displaying a red weather warning for Friday on Calder Road, Edinburgh
PA
Rail services and flights have been axed, with rare red weather warnings issued for Scotland and Northern Ireland as Storm Eowyn is likely to damage buildings, uproot trees and cause power cuts, the Met Office said.
Train operator ScotRail suspended all services across Scotland on Friday, saying it "would not be safe to operate passenger services due to forecast weather conditions."
Dozens of flights from Glasgow and Edinburgh airports were cancelled on Friday morning due to ongoing weather conditions, while Belfast International warned of significant disruption to flights.
A number of train companies including Avanti West Coast, Lumo, CrossCountry and Grand Central have also told customers not to travel on routes across parts of north Wales, Scotland and northern England with no services running.
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