Derry is once again on “yellow alert” with gale force winds forecast to batter the North West later today.
Foyle Bridge.
Home and business owners have once again been advised to prepare for high winds with gusts of up to 80 miles per hour with the arrival of the tail end of Hurricane Emily which is predicted to wreak havoc when it hits Britain with weather forecasters warning of gusts in excess of 100 mph.
While Scotland and the north of England will be worst hit, Northern Ireland is set for gales of up to 80mph tomorrow.
A severe weather warning has been issued ahead of the storm, which has the potential to seriously disrupt travel, uproot trees and rip roof tiles from properties.
The weather system has been named Storm Emily after Emily Brontë, the author who died on 19 December 19, 165 years ago, and who wrote Wuthering Heights which featured constant stormy weather.
Wind speeds are predicted to pick up later today and last into tomorrow. While the temperature will probably be around six or seven degrees centigrade it will feel colder in the strong winds.
Homeowners have been advised to secure outdoor Christmas decorations and loose garden furniture/trampolines or risk them being blown away and destroyed.
Gale force winds on Saturday last saw incoming and outing flights at City of Derry Airport diverted to George Best City Airport in Belfast.
Several trees were blown down across the North West and Foyle Bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles for several hours while all other traffic was restricted to 30mph.
As at the weekend and as a precaution, Northern Ireland Electricity has initiated an “escalation plan” and placed emergency crews, engineers and call handlers on standby.
An NIE spokesperson said: “We would like to remind customers that if they do lose electricity supplies they should contact the NIE Customer Helpline on 08457 643 643 or report the fault online at nie.co.uk.”
Meanwhile, just across the border in an “Orange Alert” has been issued for Donegal where storm could be the worst to hit the county in 30 years, an independent insurance assessor has warned.
Bundoran-based Roger White said people should “prepare for the worst.”
Mr White said: “Given the predicted sheer force of this I am predicting power will be down in a lot of the west Donegal for a number of days and the level of destruction is due to be significant.
“People should prepare for the worst. If it doesn’t turn out that way, then no harm done.”
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