NI weather: Storm Darragh set to hit island of Ireland

The island of Ireland is set to come under the second highest level of warning due to Storm Darragh moving in from the Atlantic later on Friday.

An amber warning for wind has been issued for Northern Ireland from 01:00 GMT on Saturday until 21:00 on Saturday.

Before then, a yellow warning for wind and rain comes into force at 15:00 on Friday with the rain warning expiring at 12:00 on Saturday.

The yellow wind warning will remain and is set to stay in place until 06:00 on Sunday.

A number of festive outdoor events have already been affected by the weather warnings in Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, red alerts have been issued by Met Éireann, the Republic of Ireland’s weather service, for the west coast of Ireland.

The highest level of warning has been issued for Mayo, Clare, Galway, Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo.

The red alert is set to come into force for several hours on Friday night as the highest gusts hit the west coast.

Storm Darragh is the fourth named storm of the season, following storms Ashley, Bert and Conall.

The strongest winds will reach the west coast of Ireland on Friday night before moving east across the island.

The Met Office is expecting gusts around the coast of Northern Ireland to reach speeds about 80mph (130km/h) from early on Saturday morning.

That is when Friday’s yellow warning will be temporarily upgraded to amber.

Gusts between 60-70mph (100-115km/h) are likely inland before winds ease from the west through Saturday afternoon.

The Met Office has also issued a red warning for wind for parts of Wales and the Bristol Channel area of England on Saturday.

Met Éireann has issued its second highest level of warning for wind, Status Orange, across the country from Friday evening.

It is set stay in place until 10:00 on Saturday, but a yellow warning for wind will remain in pace until 15:00.

Belfast City Council has said the Christmas market at City Hall will be closed on Saturday.

“We recognise this may be disappointing, however the safety of our visitors and traders is of the utmost importance,” the council said in a statement.

It plans to reopen on Sunday if the weather permits.

The Enchanted Winter Gardens at Antrim Castle has been cancelled on Friday and Saturday.

Ards and North Down Borough Council hascancelled its Christmas weekend at Cockle Row Cottages in Groomsport.

Lisburn and Castlereagh Council said a number of events in its Christmas programme would be delayed due to the weather, including the Dundonald Christmas Market.

Newry Mourne and Down District Council has rescheduled the Christmas craft activities which were due to take place in Castlewellan Forest Park on Saturday.

National Trust Mid Ulster has cancelled its Twilight Market on Friday and day one of their Christmas Fair on Saturday, which were due to take place in the Argory in Dungannon.

The Christmas fair in Saintfield which was due to take place on Friday evening has also been cancelled.

Usually the County Down village would be packed with hundreds of people enjoying various forms of entertainment and the Christmas lights switch on.

Robin Martin, who owns two businesses in the village, was due to perform at the event.

“It is just one of those things unfortunately,” he said.

“There’s nothing that can be done and we just have to take it on the chin.”

Stena Line has warned there could be disruption across the weekend.

It operates ferries between Belfast and Cairnryan and Belfast and Liverpool.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has closed a number of outdoor recreation sites and warned the public not to walk along cliff paths, harbour piers, forest or woodland park areas during this period.

Facilities will be closed across Derry and Strabane council area, including parks, recycling centres and outdoor sports and leisure facilities.

The council also said that the weather could have an impact on street cleaning and waste services.

No scheduled sports activities at outdoor facilities will go ahead on Saturday.

Mid Ulster District Council closed its outdoor recreational sites on Thursday, due to the weather warning, including Derrynoid Forest and Riverside Walk, Maghera Walled Garden Walk, Hill of the O’Neill and Pomeroy Forest.

All sites will reopen following safety inspections that will take place after the weather warning has expired.

You can get a full list here.

Newry Mourne and Down District Council said that four forest country parks as well as Warrenpoint Park, would be closed to cars and pedestrians from Friday afternoon until Sunday.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said Sentry Hill, Memorial Park and Bracknamuckley Wood in Ballymena would be closed from Friday until Sunday morning.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council said that a number of events planned for Saturday had been cancelled.