Storm Bert has swept into Northern Ireland, causing chaos with a series of road closures and disruption to travel and sport.
A yellow weather warning for wind, rain and snow is in place for much of Saturday.
In Belfast, the Ravenhill Road is badly flooded and said to be impassable near Martyrs Memorial Church. The Broadway Roundabout is also badly flooded on the Royal hospital side.
In Co Londonderry, one road is obstructed after a shed roof was blown onto it, and in Coleraine, the Mountain Road was briefly closed due to snow, with a gritter becoming stuck in the area.
Some parkrun events, including the Stormont parkrun, have been cancelled, and several Irish League games are in doubt, including the Portadown v Glenavon derby clash.
Meanwhile in the Irish Republic, thousands of homes are without power.
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Here’s what’s happening around Northern Ireland:
60,000 without power in Irish Republic
NI roads impacted
Weather warnings in place as Storm Bert hits NI
New weather warning
“Strong southwesterly winds are expected to develop during Sunday morning across Northern Ireland.
“Gusts of 45-55 mph are expected widely with gusts of up 65 mph possible over hills and exposed locations around the coast. Winds will gradually ease during Sunday night.”
Rail disruption
Shed roof blown onto road
Newtownards warning
“There is a fallen tree on the Belfast Road, and there is also a report of a fallen tree on the Springvale Road, between Ballyhalbert and Ballywalter, at its junction with the Inishargie Road. Both lanes are currently blocked as a result of this.”
Second pitch inspection
Pitch inspection
Parkrun cancelled
Ferry cancelled
Broadway Roundabout flooded
Armagh affected
60,000 without power in Irish Republic
Across the Republic, a series of weather alerts are also in place. A ‘Status Red’ rainfall warning was put in place for Galway and Cork from midnight until 10am today. A Status Orange rainfall warning for Waterford, Kerry, Clare, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim is in place until 10am today. Donegal will be covered by a Status Yellow snow, ice, rain and wind warning until midday.
Storm Bert sweeps across the UK
An amber alert for heavy snow and ice is in force between 7am and 5pm on Saturday in areas across Scotland, where 10-20cm is likely on ground above 200 metres and potentially as much as 20-40cm on hills above 400 metres.
The weather warning covers parts of Angus, Perth and Kinross, Stirlingshire, Aberdeenshire and some of the Highlands, Argyll and Bute, the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.
A second amber warning will be in place between 7am and midday on Saturday covering parts of Yorkshire and the north east of England.
Over the weekend, Wales and the South West are at risk of seeing 75mm of rain widely, and potentially more than 100mm over the higher parts of South Wales and Dartmoor.
NI roads impacted
- Coleraine Mountain Road, Windyhill Road in Limavady, the Glenpark Road, Omagh and the Glenshane Pass impacted as rain still turning to snow on higher ground
- A fallen tree has led to Dergbrough Road being closed in Co Tyrone
- Belfast Road near Newtownards is partially shut due to a fallen tree and utility lines, as is the Springvale Road
- Coast Road in Ballygally is obstructed due to a rock fall
- The Hillhall Road in Lisburn has been closed at its junctions with the Pinehill Road and Ballylesson Road, in both directions, due to high water levels causing flooding
- The junction at Hospital Road near Hydebank in Castlereagh affected by high water levels
- Heavy build-up of traffic on Dunhill Road in Coleraine due to poor driving conditions caused by snow
Weather warnings in place as Storm Bert hits NI
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Jason Kelly said: “Storm Bert started to arrive overnight on Friday and into Saturday, initially over Northern Ireland.
“As we go through the first part of Saturday morning, it will start to show its hand across Scotland, north Wales and northern England, with the potential for some heavy snowfall, especially over higher ground.”
Watch: Snow arrives in Northern Ireland as temperatures fall below 0