Met Office issues rare amber warning as Storm Éowyn heads for North East on Friday

A Met Office map showing an amber weather warning for wind
-Credit:Met Office


The Met Office has issued a rare amber alert as it warns people in the North East to expect strong gusts and snow as Storm Éowyn makes its way across the region.

The weather experts have issued an amber warning for wind, running from 6am to 9pm this Friday, January 24. It covers County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland, and warns of gusts of up to 90mph in some places.

Meanwhile, a yellow warning for snow has been sent out, running from 3am to midday on Friday. This covers County Durham and Northumberland.

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People are being warned to expect power cuts and disruption on the roads and to public transport. There is also a chance that damage to buildings and homes could occur, with roofs blown off and power lines brought down.

Injuries and danger to life could occur from flying debris, as well as large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties, the Met Office adds.

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The experts said: "Storm Éowyn will move across the northwest of the UK on Friday, clearing to the northeast on Friday night. This will bring a spell of very strong west to southwesterly winds, with peak gusts of 60-70 mph fairly widely inland, 70-80 mph in some areas, and 80-90 mph along more exposed coasts and hills (perhaps even higher in a few locations).

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"It should be noted that there may be a slight reduction in wind strength for a time as the centre of Storm Éowyn passes overhead, this most likely in parts of Northern Ireland and western Scotland, before winds rapidly increase again. Winds will gradually ease later on Friday."

A yellow weather warning for wind also covers the period before and after the amber alert - and lasts all day on Friday and covers the entire North East.

Regarding the yellow weather warning for snow, the Met Office added: "Outbreaks of rain spreading northeastward on Friday morning will fall as snow initially, especially on hills, before reverting to rain and eventually easing. Any accumulations across northern England and southern Scotland will be fairly short-lived and largely on hills, where 2-5cm may accumulate in places above 100m elevation and 5-10cm above 300m.

"Snow will probably persist for longer north of the Central Belt, where as much as 15-25cm is possible above 300m. Given the strong winds that will accompany the snow, temporary blizzard conditions are possible over higher ground, with some drifting also possible for a time, this probably more likely north of the Central Belt."

Latest weather maps show just when the strong gusts will hit the North East. They also show which areas will be the worst affected.