Storm Éowyn facts for kids
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| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 21 January 2025 |
| Extratropical cyclone | |
| Highest winds | 183 km/h (114 mph) in Galway, Ireland |
| Lowest pressure | 939 hPa (mbar); 27.73 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Injuries | 5+ |
| Areas affected | Ireland and Scotland |
| Power outages | 1,000,000+ across Ireland and the UK |
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Part of the 2024–25 European windstorm season |
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Storm Éowyn was a super strong storm, also known as an extratropical cyclone. It hit Ireland and Scotland very hard on January 24, 2025. This storm was the fifth big storm of the 2024–25 European windstorm season. The UK Met Office gave it the name Éowyn on January 21, 2025.
Before the storm hit, serious "red" weather warnings were sent out for Ireland and Scotland. "Amber" and "yellow" warnings were also given for areas around Wales and England. This storm was the strongest to hit Ireland since Hurricane Debbie in 1961. Its winds even broke an 80-year-old record for the country!
Contents
What's in a Storm's Name?
On January 21, 2025, the British Met Office and other weather groups in Europe chose the name "Éowyn" for this storm. It was the fifth named storm of the 2024–2025 season. The name Éowyn comes from a brave character in J. R. R. Tolkien's famous book The Lord of the Rings. This name, like others, was picked from a list suggested by the public.
How Storm Éowyn Affected Places
Ireland's Experience
On January 24, 2025, around 5:00 AM, a wind gust of 183 km/h (114 mph) was measured at Mace Head in Connemara, County Galway. This was an amazing speed! The strongest official wind gust in the Republic of Ireland was 114 mph (183 km/h). This broke an 80-year-old record from 1945, when a wind gust of 182 km/h (113 mph) was measured at Foynes.
The storm also created huge waves. A wave as tall as 10.4 m (34 ft) was measured near Doolin. That's like a three-story building!
Many flights were cancelled or delayed at airports like Ireland West Airport, Dublin Airport, and Shannon Airport. Ferry services to the Aran Islands also stopped for the morning.
The storm caused massive power cuts. At 9:00 AM, over 815,000 homes, farms, and businesses in Ireland lost electricity. By lunchtime, nearly one million people on the island of Ireland were without power. The Electricity Supply Board said the damage to power lines was huge. Many homes also lost water because water treatment plants had no power.
Sadly, a 20-year-old man in County Donegal died when a tree fell on his car.
The storm also knocked down many trees, blocking roads. Some families had to leave their homes because strong winds damaged their houses or caravans. The Connacht GAA Air Dome in County Mayo, a large sports building, was destroyed.
Scotland's Experience
In Scotland, airports like Glasgow and Edinburgh had to limit flights. This caused many cancellations. A wind gust of 101 mph (163 km/h) was recorded at Drumalbin weather station in South Lanarkshire. This was the highest wind gust in Scotland from Storm Éowyn.
Two people were hurt in storm-related accidents. An investigation is ongoing into the death of a man in Irvine who was hit by falling tiles.
A football game between Celtic and Dundee was postponed because of damage to Celtic Park, Celtic's stadium.
Isle of Man's Experience
All travel to and from the Isle of Man was stopped. This included ferries and local bus services. The Isle of Man Airport and schools were closed. About 370 homes lost power. The government declared a major incident because main roads were blocked.
The island's airport recorded the strongest wind gusts in 20 years!
England's Experience
On January 23, one person was hurt at Holywell Bay in Cornwall. There were reports of "caravans blowing" in the wind. This event was later confirmed to be a small tornado.
Thousands of homes in County Durham also lost power. Some main roads were closed due to the storm.
Northern Ireland's Experience
By 11:30 AM on January 24, over 240,000 homes and businesses in Northern Ireland were without electricity.
Wales's Experience
Many places in Wales were affected, including Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital in Bangor. There were widespread power cuts across the country.
Norway's Experience
The storm's leftover parts reached Norway on January 24 and 25. This also caused power outages there.
See also
