Storm Kathleen unleashed high winds and heavy rain across Scotland, Ireland, and parts of England, causing travel disruption and power outages. The storm’s impacts were felt through canceled flights, disrupted train services, and thousands left without electricity.
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Over 140 flights across the UK were canceled due to strong winds. Airports such as Heathrow, Manchester, and Belfast City experienced disruptions.
Scotland’s largest ferry operator, CalMac, canceled several services, while P&O Ferries disrupted routes between Larne and Cairnryan.
ScotRail services faced disruptions, especially in areas like Helensburgh Central and Dumbarton Central. Approximately 12,000 customers in Ireland remained without electricity as Storm Kathleen swept across the island.
Efforts were underway to restore power, but some customers were expected to be without electricity overnight. In the UK, thousands experienced power cuts on Saturday.
The storm’s winds and rain have left approximately 12,000 customers without electricity in Ireland, with many enduring overnight blackouts.
Despite efforts by ESB Networks crews to restore power, some areas are expected to remain in darkness into the night.
Over 140 flights across the UK were cancelled on Saturday alone, disrupting travel plans for thousands of passengers.
Major airports, including Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Belfast City, were among those affected.
Aer Lingus flights from Belfast City Airport and several British Airways and Air France services were grounded due to the weather conditions.
P&O Ferries cancelled services between Larne in Northern Ireland and Cairnryan in Scotland. Routes to and from the Isle of Man faced disruptions.
In Scotland, Network Rail Scotland implemented speed restrictions on several main routes to mitigate the impact of the storm on train services.
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Passengers were advised to check for updates before taking on their journeys, as delays and cancellations plagued rail travel throughout the region.
Storm Kathleen unleashed gusts exceeding 70mph across various regions, with the summit of Cairngorm in the Scottish Highlands recording a peak gust of 101mph.
The strong winds swept through parts of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Saturday marked the warmest day of the year so far in the UK, with temperatures soaring to 20.9°C.
The unusual warmth, attributed to the storm’s circulation pattern bringing southerly winds from North-West Africa, contrasted sharply with the wrought by Kathleen’s winds and torrential downpours.
The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) issued warnings of real danger to life along coastal areas, cautioning against wave overtopping and urging caution near causeways, coastal roads, and paths. High tides, storm surges, and large waves pose risks to coastal communities.
In Ireland, emergency responders sprang into action after a girl was swept out to sea from the east pier of Dún Laoghaire harbour in County Dublin.
Rescue efforts resulted in her safe retrieval from the water, the critical role of preparedness and swift response in storm-related incidents.
While Storm Kathleen is expected to gradually subside, the Met Office has issued further weather warnings for Monday and Tuesday as a secondary low-pressure system, named Storm Pierrick, looms on the horizon.
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