January 25th 2025.
According to the Met Office, Storm Eowyn was a force to be reckoned with, being "pretty exceptional" and likely the strongest storm to hit the UK in the past decade. In fact, some areas experienced the worst weather conditions in 20 or 30 years. Unfortunately, the brief period of calm following Eowyn's departure will be short-lived as Storm Herminia, named after the Spanish tradition of naming storms, is set to make an appearance on Sunday, sweeping through the South West of the UK. While not as powerful as Eowyn, Herminia poses a different threat due to the possibility of causing damage to already weakened infrastructure.
In response to the storm, government officials including Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner held an emergency Cobra meeting on Saturday with representatives from Northern Ireland and Scotland. Scottish First Minister John Swinney urged patience as efforts were made to restore services affected by the storm, while Energy Secretary Ed Miliband offered sympathy to those impacted and ensured that the government would work closely with partners to restore power to all affected areas.
The aftermath of Storm Eowyn was a sight to behold, with fallen trees and debris scattered across roads and properties. In Larbert, a car sat surrounded by fallen trees on Tryst Road, while in Oban, vehicles drove along the esplanade as waves crashed over the seafront. In Dublin, workers assessed the damage caused by a fallen tree that crashed through the wall of Phoenix Park and onto Blackhorse Avenue.
The impact of the storm was felt beyond the UK, with parts of Ireland recording the highest windspeeds on record, reaching 114mph in Mace Head, Co Galway. Tragically, 20-year-old Kacper Dudek lost his life when a tree fell on his car in Co Donegal, and Irish police are currently investigating the incident. More than a million people in the UK were left without power, and transportation was significantly disrupted in both the UK and Ireland. Even sports were not immune to the effects of the storm, as Celtic's Scottish Premiership match against Dundee had to be called off due to damage to the club's stadium.
The aftermath of Storm Eowyn was a massive challenge for Network Rail Scotland, with over 400 incidents of damage reported across various train routes. The damage included disruptions to signaling systems, overhead wires, stations, boundary fencing, level crossings, and train depots. On top of that, numerous fallen trees and other debris were found on the tracks, causing further delays and disruptions.
As the country began to recover from Eowyn's wrath, a new storm, Herminia, was on the horizon. According to Sky News meteorologist Dr. Chris England, this Spanish-named storm would bring heavy rain, gales, and even snow to the UK. Weather warnings were issued for various regions, including strong winds and heavy rain, which could lead to local flooding. The Met Office warned that some areas could see up to 80mm of rain, which, combined with the already saturated ground from recent heavy rainfall, could cause potential flooding.
The impact of Storm Eowyn was still being felt on Saturday, with Police Scotland responding to almost 1,900 weather-related incidents. ScotRail had to suspend all services across Scotland, but some routes have since resumed. However, over 42,000 customers in Scotland are still without electricity, with Scottish Power and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks working tirelessly to restore power. In Northern Ireland, 189,000 homes and businesses were still without power on Saturday, and while 96,000 customers have had their power restored, there is still a long way to go. Scottish Power has received an overwhelming number of calls since the storm hit, and they estimate that it could take several days to fully restore power to all affected areas.
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