Northern Ireland is bracing itself for Storm Kathleen, with the Met Office issuing a yellow weather warning for the region. The alert will be in place until 22:00 BST, with similar warnings issued in the Republic of Ireland where Status Orange warnings have also been issued for certain areas. Emergency response and other agencies in Northern Ireland are said to be monitoring the situation, with strong winds for most areas expected to reach up to 60mph and gusts up to 70mph possible in some exposed and coastal areas.
Possible travel disruption, power cuts, and a risk of injuries from large waves have been warned by the Met Office for Northern Ireland. Stormont departments have advised people not to visit forests, country parks or nature reserves in the affected areas and to be careful when driving in case of high winds or debris. Belfast City Council also announced the closure of all grass pitches at several locations.
Staff from storm response agencies are “making preparations to respond to any impacts” according to the Department for Infrastructure warning that weather conditions could lead to debris on roads and fallen trees, as well as spray or large waves on exposed and vulnerable coastal areas. Some flight cancellations for Belfast City Airport and Dublin Airport have already been reported, with travellers also advised to check regularly for updates.
Storm Kathleen is the 11th named storm of the 2023 to 2024 season and the first time storms have reached the letter K in the alphabet since Storm Katie in March 2016. The following day, Sunday, will also be a windy day with widespread gusts of more than 65km/h (40mph)
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