A significant number of schools are being instructed to shut down as Storm Amy continues to wreak havoc across the UK. Schools in counties Antrim, Londonderry, Tyrone, and Fermanagh in Northern Ireland are being directed to close at noon by the Education Authority (EA). The decision is made in the interest of safety for children, young individuals, and staff as Storm Amy sweeps across the UK and Ireland.
According to an EA statement, an amber warning has been issued for the western half of Northern Ireland, covering counties Antrim, Derry/Londonderry, Tyrone, and Fermanagh. The Met Office was consulted by the Education Authority to ensure no changes were made overnight to the alert. The warning is effective from 3pm to 8pm, cautioning about potentially damaging winds on Friday late afternoon and evening. The alert highlights the risk of power outages, structural damage, and the danger of injuries from airborne debris.
In Scotland, several schools have also been compelled to close due to adverse weather conditions. Glassary Primary School in Argyll and Bute is closed due to flooding, while Dingwall Primary and its associated nursery in the Highlands are also shut. In the Western Isles, schools and nurseries in Uist and Barra will close at midday, with schools in Harris and Lewis closing at their regular time. However, all-day nursery provision, initially scheduled to open until 5:30 pm, will now close simultaneously with their respective schools.
Storm Amy, the first named storm of the season, has triggered weather warnings across Britain for heavy rainfall and strong winds reaching up to 95mph. The north and west of Scotland will bear the brunt of the storm with a Met Office amber warning for “damaging winds” in place from 5pm on Friday until 9am Saturday. Residents in parts of the Highlands and Western Isles are cautioned about a “danger to life” from flying debris, potential power failures, road closures, and building damage. Scotland, northern England, and western Wales are under a yellow wind warning from 3pm on Friday until Sunday’s commencement.
Additionally, a yellow rain warning is in effect for the north-west of England, including the Lake District, from 3pm until midnight. In Northern Ireland, a yellow wind warning is in place from 2pm on Friday until noon on Saturday. The Met Office predicts gusts of up to 70mph to be widespread, with more exposed areas experiencing winds up to 95mph, accompanied by heavy rainfall nationwide.
BBC Scotland weather presenter Gillian Smart remarked that Storm Amy appears to be a potent storm, especially for this early stage of the season. An amber warning has been issued for regions like Argyll, the Highlands and Islands, Moray, and Orkney, where gusts of 60 to 70 miles per hour are expected, potentially exceeding 95mph in exposed locations. Ms. Smart emphasized the potential for damaging winds to bring down trees and disrupt power supplies in western Scotland. The storm is anticipated to continue into Saturday with stormy conditions easing into sunny intervals and blustery showers. The Northern Isles are likely to experience sustained gusts of 70 to 75 miles per hour into Sunday, while calmer weather is projected for other regions on Sunday.