Storm Eowyn Batters Ireland And The UK, Leaving Hundreds Of Thousands Without Power: See Photos

A powerful storm moved its way across Ireland, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom on Friday morning, leaving hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses without power and causing major travel disruptions.

According to the Met Eireann, the Irish Meteorological Service, the storm, known as Storm Eowyn, will bring “gale to storm force southwest to west winds” Friday, with destructive and damaging wind gusts.

“Violent storm force to hurricane force winds will occur for a time too in coastal areas of the west and north,” the service said in its Friday forecast. The winds are expected to weaken Friday evening, with scattered showers moving into the area, especially in the western and northern portions.

The Met Eireann said Friday the Republic of Ireland took the “brunt of the storm in the early hours of this morning,” with a peak recorded wind gust of 114 mph at Mace Head. The weather service confirmed this is a record for wind speed in Ireland.

According to ESB Networks, the energy provider for all of Ireland, there has been “unprecedented, widespread and extensive damage” to the country’s electricity infrastructure,, affecting approximately 725,000 customers as of 12:30 p.m. local time.

Red weather warnings are in effect in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, according to the Met Eireann, which is the highest possible level of alert indicating dangerous weather. The weather service is advising residents in these areas to avoid traveling by road in these conditions, stay indoors, and secure loose outdoor items such as garbage bins and garden furniture.

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Storm Eowyn leads to travel disruptions, school cancelations

According to reporting from the BBC, all trains have been canceled in Scotland on Friday, while schools in all of Northern Ireland have closed as the storm has damaged buildings and brought down trees.

The news outlet is also reporting that over 1,000 flights to and from the UK or Ireland were canceled on Friday, with Dublin, Edinburgh, Heathrow and Glasgow the most affected airports.