An additional warning for wind has been issued across the north for this weekend as winds of up to 60mph are expected to cause disruption ahead of Christmas.
The Met Office has expanded its original warning for Saturday to now include parts of counties Antrim, Down, Derry, Fermanagh and Tyrone.
The yellow warning for wind will be in place from 7am on Saturday until midnight, when a new warning for the whole of the north will come into effect until 9pm on Sunday.
According to the Met Office, the prolonged period of strong winds “will likely lead to some travel disruption over the weekend, especially to travel”.
Strong winds may bring disruption on the roads, railways and ferry services this weekend with many of us travelling in the run-up to Christmas
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 19, 2024
Warnings have been issued for many areas. Keep up to date with the latest 👉 https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs
Stay #WeatherAware⚠️ pic.twitter.com/aG4H49OwLt
Wind speeds of 50-60mph are expected quite widely, while gusts on exposed coasts and hills could reach 70mph.
“Strong and gusty north-westerly winds are expected to develop on Sunday,” they said.
“In addition, squally showers are likely with some hail and thunder possible in places.
“This has the potential to cause delays to public transport and some disruption to the road network, which may have a greater than usual impact given the busier pre-Christmas weekend travel.”
“Dangerous coastal conditions can be expected too, with large waves an additional hazard.”
In the Republic, Met Éireann has issued a yellow alert for wind in counties Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal.
The warning will last from 3am on Saturday until 6pm on Sunday.
While a warning is in place for the weekend, wind is expected to die down from Monday onwards.
Current forecasts indicate that some showers and breezy conditions are expected on Christmas Eve, with generally mild conditions on Christmas Day.
