Storm Boelo to batter Northern Ireland with winds of up to 75mph: Events cancelled as Met Office issues weather warning for Saturday and Sunday

The Met Office has issued an amber warning for the north-east coast, where wind speeds are predicted to be at their highest, as well as a yellow warning covering the whole of the province.

Some outdoor events scheduled for this weekend have been cancelled, while a popular beauty spot in the Mourne mountains will be closed.

Among the storm’s effects across the whole of Ulster could be power cuts, disruption to mobile phone services, damage to buildings and trees and a small chance of injuries of danger to life from flying debris, the Met Office has said. The provincewide yellow warning lasts from 10am on Saturday to noon on Sunday.

Things are to be much worse in the north-east, however, where coastal roads, seafronts and homes are likely to be hit by dangerously large waves, some roads and bridges are likely to close, and road, rail, air and ferry services may be hit with delays or cancellations.

Flying debris is likely during the 9pm on Saturday to 9pm on Sunday amber warning covering the north-east, the Met Office advised, and could lead to injuries or danger to life.

Senior operational meteorologist Greg Dewhurst told the News Letter that Saturday will be “wet and windy” across Northern Ireland, with heavy rain in the morning turning into a mix of sunshine and heavy showers later in the afternoon.

Somewhere between 10mm and 20mm of rain can be expected in most places, he stated, though in the hills that could be up to 30mm – potentially resulting “some local flooding impacts in places” as well as tricky travelling conditions.

As a whole, the province can expect gusts of 50mph to 60mph, which equates to somewhere between a strong gale and a storm on the Beaufort Wind Scale.

In the amber warning area in the north-east, however, the Met Office meteorologist predict wind could reach as high as 65mph to 75mph, enough to be counted as a violent storm on the Beaufort scale.

He added: “It remains very windy through Sunday, with the winds gradually easing by the end of the day as Storm Boelo pulls away from the UK.

“Sunday will be a day of sunny spells and heavy showers across the country. Some could be thundery.”

Causeway Coast and Glens Council has announced two events planned for this weekend, a speciality market in Coleraine on Saturday morning and a Halloween fair with fireworks in Ballymoney on Saturday night, have been called off because of the storm.

Meanwhile Silent Valley Mountain Park in the Mournes will be shut from noon on Saturday until Monday morning, operators NI Water stating the move was made “in the interest of public safety due to the risk of high winds damaging trees at the site”.

The Met Office’s amber warning also covers much of Scotland from Saturday evening into Sunday, where rail lines in Ayrshire and the Highlands are set to stop over the weekend while trains across large parts of the country will run at reduced speeds.

In the Republic, weather warnings for wind and rain have been issued for Donegal and the west coast of the island.