Northern Ireland Faces Travel Disruption Amid Snowfall and Approaching Storm Bert

Freezing temperatures and snowfall have resulted in travel disruptions across certain areas of Northern Ireland. Translink has issued warnings regarding service interruptions on rural routes, including Ballymena, Ballyclare, Larne, Magherafelt, Cookstown, Newry, and Lisburn. On Friday morning, some services originating from Belfast, Ballygowan, Derryboy, Omagh, and Newcastle were canceled. Police have advised motorists to reduce their speed and “drive to suit the conditions” as many routes throughout the country are considered “hazardous.” As Storm Bert approaches this weekend, Northern Ireland is expected to encounter further challenging conditions, featuring heavy rain, snow, and strong winds. The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for all three elements, highlighting potential risks of flooding, travel delays, and power outages from late Friday night into Saturday. Rain is forecast to move across Northern Ireland overnight on Friday, with snow anticipated on higher ground, particularly in the north and west. Snow accumulations of 5-10cm are possible above 150m, with up to 20cm on mountain tops. By Saturday morning, snow is projected to rapidly turn to rain, leading to widespread rainfall totals of 20-30mm and up to 60mm on hills, which increases the risk of surface flooding. A snow and rain warning will be in effect from midnight on Friday until 11:00 GMT on Sunday. South-easterly winds are expected to strengthen on Saturday, with gusts reaching up to 60mph (100kmh/h) in many areas and up to 70mph (115km/h) along exposed coasts. These winds could cause travel delays, damage to trees, and some power outages. Coastal routes and sea fronts may experience large waves, and high-sided vehicles are advised to avoid exposed routes. A wind warning will be active from 05:00 GMT until 19:00 on Saturday. Due to the yellow Met Office warning, resurfacing work planned on the Sydenham Bypass over the weekend will not proceed, and the road will remain open. The city-bound carriageway has been closed every weekend since the end of September for resurfacing work. The roadworks were scheduled to conclude on Monday to help ease congestion during the busy Christmas period. However, the carriageway will now open from 06:00 GMT on Saturday and stay open until 5 January 2025. In the Republic of Ireland, Met Éireann has issued a red weather alert for rain in Cork and Galway on Friday night, brought by Storm Bert. Met Éireann has warned of severe flooding, damage to homes and businesses, and dangerous traveling conditions. These red warnings are in place from midnight on Friday until 10:00 GMT on Saturday. A yellow wind and rain warning has been issued for the rest of the country from Friday night into Saturday morning. A second Status Orange warning – the second highest level – has been issued for rain for several counties on Saturday morning. Storm Bert is expected to bring very strong south-easterly winds and widespread heavy rain across the country. Disruptions to travel, along with some localized flooding and fallen trees, are anticipated. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.