Storm Boelo leaves 32000 homes without power as orange wind warnings remain

Tens of thousands of premises remain without power across the region as Storm Boelo maintains its grip, keeping multiple areas under strict orange wind warnings. The second named storm in rapid succession has brought severe disruption, grounding flights, halting rail networks, closing major cultural attractions, and triggering widespread structural damage.

According to Extra, 32,000 premises were left without power as the system tracked across the country on Sunday morning. Energy network repair crews face a challenging day of restorations, with outages hitting the west and northwest particularly hard. In County Mayo, thousands of households lost electricity supply, with hard-hit localities including Belmullet and Bellacorrick. Similar conditions affected County Roscommon, where Roscommon Herald reported hundreds of homes without power, concentrated heavily around Ballaghaderreen.

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Car taken by Storm Boelo at Donegal beach as 32,000 left without power

The RTÉ news desk reported that as of early Sunday morning, the Electricity Supply Board's (ESB) PowerCheck service registered more than 20,000 homes and businesses offline nationally, a figure climbing alongside localized feeder failures. Western People noted that ESB repair teams mobilized immediately, though supplies in some remote western pockets are not scheduled for full restoration until mid-afternoon.

Meteorological authorities have maintained active threat levels across the affected zones. RTÉ confirmed that a Status Orange wind alert remained valid for Donegal until Sunday morning, while counties such as Leitrim, Galway, Mayo, and Sligo transitioned from orange alerts down to yellow warnings. Met Éireann cautioned the public against structural hazards, displaced loose objects, and coastal overtopping. In Northern Ireland, an amber warning stayed in place for County Antrim and County Londonderry.

The Met Office issued amber warnings covering mainland Scotland, northern England, and Northern Ireland. Chief forecaster Jason Kelly warned that sustained winds of 60mph to 70mph would sweep across the region, with peaks touching 80mph in exposed coastal spots.

Transport networks bore an immediate brunt. The Guardian reported that flights at Dublin Airport experienced significant disruption, with dozens of outbound and inbound services cancelled due to crosswinds and safety concerns. Several aircraft were forced to perform go-arounds or divert entirely before landing.

Maritime and coastal incidents also marked the weekend. Extra highlighted an extraordinary rescue at Rossnowlagh Beach in County Donegal, where overseas visitors attempting to drive across the strand during an incoming tide lost their vehicle to the surf. Local weather channels confirmed the occupants escaped safely before the rising tide swallowed the chassis in soft sand.

Public safety measures led to widespread event cancellations. London's annual Diwali on the Square celebrations were called off following independent safety recommendations, while Liverpool's River of Light illumination trail was shuttered. Heritage properties, including Edinburgh Castle and the Fountains Abbey estate in North Yorkshire, closed their gates to visitors ahead of peak wind hours.

Environmental agencies remain on high alert for secondary hazards. River levels, already elevated from preceding downpours, present ongoing flood risks across western catchments. The Environment Agency issued dozens of active flood alerts and warnings across England, pointing to high spring tides along western and northern coastlines.

Looking ahead, meteorologists expect winds to gradually ease throughout Sunday evening, though unsettled weather will persist into the working week. Further updates regarding infrastructure restoration and weather warnings will follow as conditions develop.