A yellow weather warning for wind has been upgraded to amber for parts of Gwynedd.

The Met Office say the amber warning for the north of Gwynedd will come into effect at 6am on Friday, 24 January, and will remain in place until 9pm that day.

Power cuts are likely to occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.

Road, rail, air and ferry services are likely to be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible. Some roads and bridges will close.

Met Office map of area of Gwynedd included in Amber warning
Met Office map of area of Gwynedd included in Amber warning (Copyright: See previous)

There is a chance that damage to buildings and homes could occur, with roofs blown off and power lines brought down.

Injuries and danger to life could occur from flying debris, as well as large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.

A Met Office spokesperson said: Storm Éowyn will move across the northwest of the UK on Friday, clearing to the northeast on Friday night.

“This will bring a spell of very strong west to southwesterly winds, with peak gusts of 60-70 mph fairly widely inland, 70-80 mph in some areas, and 80-90 mph along more exposed coasts and hills (perhaps even higher in a few locations).

“It should be noted that there may be a slight reduction in wind strength for a time as the centre of Storm Éowyn passes overhead, this most likely in parts of Northern Ireland and western Scotland, before winds rapidly increase again. Winds will gradually ease later on Friday.”

In light of the recent weather warnings for Storm Eowyn, SP Energy Networks have issued safety advice for potential power cuts. It has compiled 'top tips' to keep people safe, should their power go out. They are:

  • Ensure you store a battery-powered or wind-up torch in an easily accessible location so you can use it to check the fuse box and navigate around your home safely.
  • Power lines may fall because of stormy weather so beware of this when venturing out of your home. Always treat them as live, stay away and report them right away by calling 999.
  • Having your mobile phone charged means you can give SP Energy Networks a call on the national 105 emergency helpline. Please don’t assume we know if your power is out, so call us right away.
  • If your power does go out, your heating might not work, so keep extra blankets nearby and close window shutters, blinds or curtains to help keep the heat in.
  • Teams work around the clock to restore electricity as quickly as possible but customers who feel they need extra support may be eligible for the Priority Services Register. Visit the SP Energy Networks website or call 0330 10 10 167 for more information.
  • Make sure we have up-to-date contact details for you, so we can keep in touch with you as appropriate.