Storm Bram: Strong wind and rain hit flights, close roads as pupils are urged to stay indoors

​The disruption came after a yellow warning for wind was in place for the entire province from 9am to 10pm.

However, that warning was upgraded to amber in counties Antrim, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone between 2pm and 8pm.

The Met Office advised the public to expect delays to transport services and further warned that cancellations were possible.

It added that there was a chance of injuries and danger to life from flying debris, as well as damage to buildings and power outages.

Forecasters said gusts of around 60-70 mph were possible in the amber region, and potentially in excess of 80mph over coasts and hills.

At 10.41am yesterday, the Education Authority (EA) said school closures were not planned but that leaders were asked to "monitor and assess the weather warnings in their areas and, if necessary, take local decisions."

However, just over an hour later, the EA advised schools to “keep pupils indoors throughout the day and, if practical, to cancel after school activities”, as well as being “flexible” on leaving times. It also asked parents to make “contingency plans” if transport services were cancelled.

Several schools announced that they would be closing early due to the adverse weather conditions, including the likes of Cookstown High School, St Patrick’s Primary School in Belfast and Culmore Primary School in Londonderry.

Ulster University campuses in Londonderry and Coleraine decided to close from 1pm, with the Belfast campus staying open.

Meanwhile, the Causeway and Magherafelt campuses of Northern Regional College also closed at lunch-time yesterday.

The PSNI encouraged motorists to “reduce speed and drive with extra caution”, warning that heavy rain resulted in surface water and flooding of roads in many areas.

This led to road closures on the Belfast Road in Carrickfergus, from the Trooperslane Road up to the Sloefield Road, due to a collapsed wall. Trooperslane Road was also closed.

Also, road users were advised that the Shore Road in Rostrevor, the South Promenade in Newcastle and the Portaferry Road, Newtownards were all impassable due to flooding.

The Rostrevor Road in Warrenpoint was also impassable due to flooding, with Moygannon Road also affected by excess rainwater.

The Department of Infrastructure had already revealed on Monday that “multi-agency preparations” were under way and that monitoring of river levels and sea levels had been ongoing and would continue until the weather warning had elapsed.

Storm Bram created havoc at our airports with at least 10 flights from Belfast City Airport to Great Britain being cancelled yesterday, along with 11 inbound flights from Great Britain to Belfast City Airport.

Loganair cancelled all their flights to and from the City of Derry Airport.

Three Stena Line sailings between Belfast and Cairnryan were also cancelled yesterday, whilst all P&O ferry sailings between Larne and Cairnryan were all called off.

Those who had plans to go to the Christmas Market in Belfast were left disappointed after organisers announced on Monday that it would be closed.

Furthermore, a host of local councils were quick to communicate closures and amendments to some of its services.

Elsewhere, Met Éireann had placed the entire of the Republic of Ireland under a yellow warning for wind until 9pm on Tuesday.

But forecasting agencies upgraded their warnings to an orange for Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, and Waterford until 4pm.

A separate orange warning for all of Connacht, as well as Cavan, Monaghan, Clare, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, and Offaly was due to expire at 7pm.

And a third orange warning for Donegal was announced for between 2pm and 9pm.

Weather warnings were also in place for the rest of the UK.