Storm Aiden on its way for Halloween - Met Office warning for '60-70 mph' gales
A howling Halloween weekend is forecast... ⚠️💨🌲🍃
Last updated 10th Nov 2020
Storm Aidan, an intense low pressure system named by the Met Office is expected to bring gale force winds and heavy rain to parts of Northern Ireland this weekend.
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning and are advising the public to expect possible disruption.
According to forecasters; "A belt of strong southerly winds will develop on Saturday morning with gusts of 60-65 mph, perhaps 70 mph on exposed coasts and hills. The winds will become more westerly during the afternoon and will remain very strong across Northern Ireland into the evening."
The north and west are expected to bear the brunt of the strongest winds.
Forecasters are warning that the first named storm of the season could impact weekend Halloween plans.
"Road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible. Some roads and bridges may close", says the Met Office.
"Winds will lead to large waves affecting coasts and the possibility of waves overtopping some coastal routes."
The wind warning comes into effect from 06:00 Saturday lasting through until 21:00.
Are you ready for winter? With most of us spending more time at home, being prepared for winter is more important than ever. Northern Ireland’s main utilities want to encourage everyone to get ready for the possibility of extreme weather over the coming months, making sure you know who to contact and how to stay safe in case your utility services are disrupted. Below you will find the contact details of the main utility providers and how to get in touch if you need to. You can also visit their websites for some top tips on how to get winter ready.
NORTHERN IRELAND WEEKEND FORECAST
This Evening and Tonight:
A dry evening with clear spells but cloud increasing. Outbreaks of rain spread northeast overnight, becoming persistent and occasionally heavy, especially across the south. Strengthening southeasterly winds. Minimum temperature 5 °C.
Saturday:
Occasionally heavy and persistent rain moving from the west through the morning with sunny spells and occasional blustery showers following for the afternoon. Very strong westerly winds, feeling mild. Maximum temperature 15 °C.
Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:
Overnight rain soon clearing Sunday then sunny spells before some evening rain, windy. Further showers or longer spells of rain Monday, winds easing. Tuesday sees sunny spells and blustery showers.
STORM NAMES FOR THE 2020/2021 SEASON
Storms are named by the Met Office or, in Ireland, Met Eireann, in order to raise public awareness of approaching bad weather.
In September, the Met Office and Met Éireann unvealed a list of the names of this seasons storms.
First introduced in 2015, this is the fourth year they have jointly run the ‘Name our Storms’ scheme, aimed at raising awareness of severe weather before it hits.
The first storm was ‘male’ and named Aiden, while the second storm will be ‘female’ and named Bella, following the alternating male/female pattern established by the US National Hurricane Center in the 1970s.