Storm Boelo to bring 'strong winds' to Northern Ireland

The UK Met Office has announced the second named storm of the year with Storm Boelo to bring strong winds and heavy rain to parts of Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England on Saturday and Sunday.

The yellow wind warning takes effect at 6pm on Saturday and will run until 3pm on Sunday.

The alert covers counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Derry and Tyrone alongside northern areas of England and Scotland.

Met Éireann said: "The north and west of Ireland will experience strong winds, as well as heavy rain in the west."

Storm Boelo, it said, "is expected track across/close to the northwest of Ireland and northern Scotland over the weekend".

The UK Met Office warned of "some disruption" in the affected areas as the storm is due to bring "very windy conditions" on Saturday.

It forecast gusts of 50-60 m/ph, with some coastal or exposed areas potentially seeing gusts of 65-75 m/ph.

"Strong winds will be combined with blustery heavy showers at times," it said.

It said the adverse weather conditions may cause power cuts, some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, longer journey times or cancellations as road, rail, air and ferry services are affected, and "a small chance that injuries and danger to life could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties".

Meanwhile three counties will fall under a Status Orange weather warning for intense rain later tonight as Storm Austen arrives from the Atlantic.

A rain warning will be in effect for counties Cork, Kerry and Waterford from 10pm tonight until 5am tomorrow.

A separate Status Orange rain warning has been issued for Dublin, Wexford and Wicklow.

A Status Yellow rain and wind warning for Leinster and Munster will take effect from 7pm this evening until 10am tomorrow.

Four people die as storms hit France

At least ⁠four people have died in storms and flooding in southern France, authorities said, as western regions braced for another storm approaching from Ireland.

Dozens ‌of ⁠people moved to emergency shelters in Mouriès and Saint-Martin-de-Crau, two small towns between Montpellier and Marseille, officials said, adding at least one person ‌was injured.

Roads and train lines ⁠in the area ‌were disrupted, Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot wrote in ⁠a ‌post on X.

Forecasters said the weather would settle down in ⁠the south.

But Storm Austen is expected ⁠to bring heavy winds across the northwest later today into tomorrow, weather agency Météo France said.