Storm Eowyn Causes Widespread Power Outages Across Ireland

Storm Eowyn struck Ireland hard on Friday, leading to 715,000 people without electricity and significant disruptions in travel and communication due to record-breaking wind speeds.

Hundreds of thousands of residents faced power outages on Friday as Storm Eowyn swept through Ireland, bringing with it record-breaking winds and major disruptions to daily life. The tempest incapacitated a significant portion of the nation, which has a total of approximately 2.4 million electricity customers, with reports indicating that around 715,000 were left without power at its peak.

According to the Irish Meteorological Service, Eowyn unleashed fierce gales across various regions, including Northern Ireland, southern Scotland, and parts of northern and western England and Wales. Wind gusts rose as high as 70 miles per hour, with particularly exposed areas, like the hills and coasts of the Irish Sea and southwestern Scotland, enduring gusts reaching up to 100 miles per hour. A staggering wind speed of 114 miles per hour was officially recorded in Mace Head, County Galway, breaking a previous record set in 1945.

In tandem with the strong winds, heavy rain and potential for hail and snow were anticipated in the north of Ireland and the Scottish hills, causing the British Meteorological Office to highlight the extremely hazardous conditions leading to widespread travel disruptions and significant impacts across the region.

Amidst the chaos, Northern Rail urged its passengers to refrain from traveling on Friday and Saturday due to anticipated severe disruptions attributed to the storm. Moreover, many flights were canceled or postponed across airports in Ireland and the UK, with Belfast International Airport advising travelers to remain at home to avoid the unpredictable conditions and intermittent power outages at the facility.

The storm’s potency was amplified by a particularly strong jet stream, which influenced its trajectory and savagery. This high-altitude air current, typically clocking between 190 and 220 miles per hour, surged to speeds of 260 miles per hour this week, powering Storm Eowyn and contributing to the extensive damage reported.

The devastation from Eowyn marks the most severe storm incident to impact Ireland since 2017, when an exceptionally powerful storm resulted in the loss of at least three lives in the northeastern Atlantic. The latest storm underscores the increasing severity of weather events due to changing climate patterns.