'Bomb' cyclone Storm Éowyn approaches Ireland and parts of UK as schools and public transport shut

The UK and Ireland are bracing for what could be one of the most severe storms in history. Authorities have announced school closures and warned residents to stay indoors and avoid going out.

The storm, named “Éowyn,” is a mid-latitude "bomb" cyclone that formed in the North Atlantic and rapidly intensified. It is expected to bring strong winds, heavy rain, and some snowfall to the region. The Irish Meteorological Service has issued a red warning, its highest level of alert, primarily for wind, effective from early Friday morning, with wind speeds potentially exceeding 80 miles per hour.

The UK Met Office has also issued a red wind warning for parts of Northern Ireland for the first time since 2011, also effective from early Friday morning. “We only issue red warnings when the most extreme weather is expected, with the potential for life-threatening conditions and significant disruption, and that is the case with Storm Éowyn,” said Paul Gundersen, Chief Meteorologist at the UK Met Office. “Storm Éowyn will be a very dangerous and disruptive weather event,” said Keith Leonard, chair of Ireland's National Emergency Coordination Group, in a statement.

All schools in Ireland and Northern Ireland will be closed on Friday, according to notices from the Irish Department of Education and the Northern Ireland Education Authority. Additionally, public transport in Ireland will be suspended. Nicholas Leach, a postdoctoral weather and climate researcher at the University of Oxford, stated that “Éowyn” is likely to cause "potentially significant disruption," including flying debris and fallen trees, leading to "extremely dangerous driving conditions."

In addition to strong winds, “Éowyn” (pronounced “Ay-oh-win”) is also expected to bring rain and snow to parts of the UK. Yellow snow warnings have been issued for parts of northern England and southern Scotland. According to the UK Met Office, snowfall in central Scotland could reach 6 to 10 inches. Ambrogio Volonte, a senior researcher in the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading, stated that the intensity of “Éowyn” could be "on par with Storm Eunice in 2022 and Storm Ciarán in 2023," both of which "caused fatalities and significant damage."

“Éowyn” is expected to move away from the UK on Saturday, but yellow wind warnings remain in place for northern parts of the UK through Saturday morning and early afternoon. Leach stated that “Éowyn” is a mid-latitude "bomb" cyclone that formed in the North Atlantic and "rapidly intensified." He noted that bomb cyclones are typically the most impactful winter storms in northern Europe. While Leach stated that the impact of the climate crisis on mid-latitude cyclones remains uncertain, some research suggests that the strongest expected storms, like “Éowyn”, may become more intense with climate change.