An amber warning for very strong winds has been issued ahead of Storm Éowyn hitting Eden.
The Met Office has issued the amber warning – on top of its previous yellow warning – throughout the day on Friday January 24.
It said the storm is likely to bring the strongest winds of winter so far and that widespread disruption is expected.
The weather forecaster said the storm will move across the northwest of the UK on Friday, clearing to the northeast on Friday night.
It is expected to bring very strong west to southwesterly winds, with peak gusts of 60 to 70mph fairly widely inland, 70 to 80mph in some areas, and 80-90mph or higher along more exposed coasts and hills.
A slight reduction in wind strength may occur 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.
Temperatures are also expected to drop over the coming days and a yellow warning for snow has also been issued for part of Cumbria.
Outbreaks of rain spreading northeastward on Friday morning will fall as snow initially, especially on hills, before reverting to rain and eventually easing.
What should I expect?
- Power cuts are likely to occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage
- Road, rail, air and ferry services are likely to be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible. Some roads and bridges will close
- There is 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
It has prompted the NHS to urge people to stock up on essential medicines and check in on elderly relatives, friends and neighbours.
Dr Michael Gregory, medical director for NHS England, North West, said: “We’re expecting some cold weather over the next few days and there are steps people can take now to help prevent illness and avoid injury caused by slips, trips and falls.
“This includes ensuring you stock up on essentials to help you and your family to cope with common complaints such as colds, coughs, stomach upsets, flu, and earache.
“Remember, if you do need health advice you can visit your community pharmacy or use NHS 111. This will mean that A&E and 999 services have more time to deal with serious and life-threatening conditions, such as heart attacks, strokes, breathing problems, and serious accidents.
“It is also vital that we take the time to look in on our elderly relatives, friends and neighbours over the cold weather to ensure they are well, and avoid any deterioration in their health and any potential admission to hospital.”
To reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls, people are advised to wear appropriate shoes and give themselves more time to reach appointments or when visiting friends and family.
The NHS said basic winter health advice for all includes:
- Use paracetamol if you have a temperature caused by coughs, cold and flu.
- Paracetamol can also be used for pain relief for complaints such as earache.
- Stomach ache, sore throats, general aches and sprains.
- Anti-diarrhoea and re-hydration mixtures for adults if they have an upset stomach.
- Get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids.
- If you have prescription medication for asthma, other respiratory conditions or a long-term health condition remember to take them regularly as directed.
Other advice issued by the NHS to help stay healthy during cold weather, includes:
- Heat your home to a temperature that’s comfortable for you. If you can, this should be at least 18°C in the rooms that you regularly use, such as your living room and bedroom.
- If you’re feeling cold, drink hot drinks regularly.
- Try not to sit still for more than one hour at a time. Moving even a little bit can help you to keep strength and mobility.
- Eating and drinking enough is also important. If you are finding it difficult to prepare and eat three big meals, try smaller ones throughout the day.
- A good idea is to draw your curtains in the evenings to reduce heat loss through windows, and tuck long curtains behind radiators so that heat isn’t trapped. And make sure warm air can circulate by keeping radiators and heaters clear – don’t put furniture in front of them or dry washing on them.
- Look after your mental health as well as your physical health go to Every Mind Matters for advice.
Why should I care about weather warnings?
Weather warnings are issued to let people know what weather is in store for their area and what its impact could be.
The Met Office is the UK’s official weather service and is responsible for issuing weather warnings to the public.There are three main levels of weather warning:
- Yellow – which asks people to be prepared for disruption
- Amber – which asks people to change plans that could be impacted by the weather and take action to protect themselves and their property
- Red – which is issued for weather that poses a danger to life and asks people to immediately take direct action to keep themselves and others safe from impacts of the weather
Yellow and amber warnings represent a range of impact levels and likelihoods of. This means it is important to read each warning to know what level of impact to expect in your local area – and how likely those impacts are to occur.The Met Office began issuing impact-based warnings in 2011 – which means that warnings are issued when the weather may have an impact on people’s day to day lives.
Previous to this, warnings were issued to the public when certain weather thresholds or levels were reached.
Impact-based warnings take multiple factors into account – these include time of day, if it may impact traffic, time of year, if the weather is unusual, if there are any seasonal events taking place and if the area is well equipped to deal with the weather.
Each warning level is designed to help people take steps to minimise the chances of disruption in their lives.
