UK weather: Rare red warnings ahead of Storm Eowyn - with tornado and 'danger to life' alerts

Schools have been closed and people have been warned not to travel amid rare red weather warnings as Storm Eowyn brings winds of up to 100mph to the UK.

Rail services and flights have been cancelled as wind alerts, which cover all of Northern Ireland from 7am on Friday until 2pm, and parts of Scotland from 10am to 5pm, warn of "very dangerous conditions" and "widespread disruption".

Tornadoes could also hit parts of the UK, with forecasters warning of a danger to life.

As many as 4.5 million people got an emergency alert on their phones from the Met Office warning of the incoming storm.

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The Met Office said changing conditions could trigger an explosive cyclogenesis - or weather bomb - with strong winds, rain, snow and gusts of up to 100mph expected on Friday.

The red alert is the Met Office's most serious warning and means the weather is likely to cause "substantial disruption to travel, energy supplies and possibly widespread damage to property and infrastructure", according to the agency.

A series of amber and yellow warnings have also been put in place, threatening injuries and a danger to life.

Major disruption expected on Friday:
• All schools in Northern Ireland have been advised to close;
• Several local authorities in Scotland have announced schools and nurseries will be shut;
• People in areas covered by red and amber warnings have been told to avoid travel "unless absolutely essential";
• All ScotRail services will be suspended;
• A number of train companies including Avanti West Coast, Lumo, CrossCountry, and Grand Central have told customers not to travel on routes across parts of North Wales, Scotland and northern England with no services running.
• A number of CalMac ferry services have been cancelled;
• Operations will be affected at Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast and Dublin airports.

Met Eireann has issued a rare nationwide red warning for wind across the Republic of Ireland, describing possible "danger to life".

Irish premier Simon Harris has warned there is an "extreme" risk to life and said: "We cannot give a higher warning than nationwide red. The risk to life is extreme and real.

In Scotland, First Minister John Swinney said: "Red weather warnings like this are very rare. Our message is simple, please follow the advice from the Met Office and the police, take this seriously and stay safe."

European storm forecasters Estofex issued a level 2 alert, saying there was a "risk of a few tornados" between 6am on Thursday and 6am on Friday.

"A strong event cannot be ruled out," the meteorologists said.

"Given rapid translation of thunderstorms, any tornado could be long-tracked... The main tornado risk seems to evolve along and [south] of a Bristol-London line."

The south coast of England, parts of the South West and much of the Welsh coast are covered by a yellow weather warning for wind from 7am until 6pm on Thursday.

As the storm arrives on Friday, rain and even snow are expected over parts of Northern Ireland, Scotland and on higher ground in northern England.

The whole country is covered by at least one yellow weather warning on Friday, with warnings for snow, wind and rain in place.

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The Met Office says the strongest winds are due to hit the north of England, south of Scotland and North Wales, where an amber wind warning is in place from 6am to 9pm on Friday - but the south of the country will also be affected.

Amber and yellow warnings for wind and rain have also been issued across Saturday and Sunday.

(c) Sky News 2025: UK weather: Rare red warnings ahead of Storm Eowyn - with tornado and 'danger to life' alerts