Storm Agnes hits Northern Ireland - heaviest impact still to come says Met Office

Storm Agnes is set to make landfall in the UK this evening after battering the south of Ireland with gale force winds during the day.

The first named storm of the season, Agnes triggered a series of Met Office yellow weather warnings across the UK for wind and rain, with forecasts of damaging winds and big stormy seas.

Gusts of up to 70mph had already been recorded in the south-west of the Republic of Ireland, with the storm set to hit areas of Northern Ireland, England and Scotland later this evening.

The storm worked its way up from the southern coast of the Republic throughout the day, felling trees across roads and disrupting air and ferry travel. A roof was blown off a building in Co Cork.

The Rostrevor Road in Warrenpoint was closed to traffic due to a fallen tree.

At least seven flights due to arrive from 4pm onwards at Belfast City Airport were cancelled – along with departures to seven GB airports.

A Met Office spokesman told the News Letter that by late afternoon, the strongest gust to hit Northern Ireland was 58mph, in south Armagh. Across NI the winds were generally around 40-50mph, he said.

The strongest gust of the storm by that point was 71mph on the southern coast of the island of Ireland.

However the "strongest gusts" of the storm would likely hit Northern Ireland from 7-8pm today, Wednesday, he said, with Co Down likely to be the worst hit.

A yellow rain warning for NI said that some areas would see 20-30 mm of rain within a few hours or 40-50mm across the Mournes and Sperrins today.

The Press Association reported that Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council announced the closure of a range of outdoor facilities including Antrim Castle Grounds, Crumlin Glen and the golf courses at Ballyearl and Allen Park.

The Met Office said Thursday should see lighter winds and a fairly dry start with a band of rain moving in from the west later on with some heavy downpours, he said.

The weather will settle in the second half of Friday however there will be rain in the second half of Saturday and further showers possible on Sunday also, he added.