‘Sting jet’ over Ireland behind Storm Eowyn’s record-breaking 114mph wind

A “sting jet” was behind the fastest-ever wind gusts recorded in Ireland, the Met Office says.

The record wind speed of 114mph was recorded in Mace Head in County Galway this morning.

Satellite imagery suggests a sting jet developed around 5am, the Met Office said.

Follow the latest updates on Storm Eowyn

A sting jet is a small area of very intense winds, which can be as strong as 100mph or more, according to the service.

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In a sting jet, the strongest winds usually last between three to four hours across an area as small as 30 miles.

Red wind warnings were issued for the entirety of Ireland and parts of Scotland, with all the of the UK covered by yellow or amber weather warnings.

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An estimated 1,124 flights scheduled to operate to or from airports in the UK or Ireland on Friday have been cancelled as a result of the powerful storm.

Schools were closed and trains and ferries were cancelled in Ireland, neighbouring Northern Ireland and Scotland.

An “unprecedented” number of homes lost power in Ireland, while in Scotland supermarkets and some health services closed.

A major incident has been declared on the Isle of Man due to the amount of fallen trees “and the impact of this across arterial and access routes for emergency services”.