Warnings and timings as Storm Éowyn begins to batter Sunderland

An amber weather warning is in place until 9pm today, with a lesser yellow warning in force until midnight, as strong winds hit the city and the rest of the UK.

Gusts of up to 76mph are expected through the morning in Sunderland, with wind speeds of more than 60mph from 1pm before falling into the 50s and 40s overnight.

Saturday is forecast to remain breezy but with winds much lighter than on Friday.

In Northern Ireland, a rare red weather warning is in place, with an amber warning covering the North of England and Scotland, and a yellow weather warning covering the south of the country.

Flights have been cancelled to and from Newcastle International Airport, and public transport services have also been affected.

Sunderland City Council has urged households to heed Met Office advice.

Flying debris, damage to homes and other buildings, power cuts, travel delays and large waves at the coast are among potential hazards listed by the agency.

People have been advised to secure loose objects such bins, garden furniture and sheds and play equipment such as trampolines that could get blown about.

Northern Powergrid said around 14,000 homes had already been affected by disruption to power supplies, with teams working throughout the storm to fix issues as they arise.

The company said its workers had already managed to reconnect around 8,000 customers impacted by the winds.

The Met Office also advised people to stay safe along the coast by being aware of the risks of large breaking waves and urging people to take care if walking near cliffs and keep dogs on a lead.

Transport agency Nexus said Metro services are scheduled to run as usual through Friday, but there is a heightened risk of disruption across the day due to the wind.

“Customers are advised to be aware of this, plan ahead, and consider their travel options carefully,” a spokesperson said.

“In the event of major disruption on Metro it may not be possible to supply replacement buses in every area.

“Meanwhile, the cross-Tyne Shields Ferry will be suspended all day on Friday and a half hourly replacement bus service will be running between the two landings via Tyne Tunnel.”

Sunderland City Council said it will be taking a ‘business-as-usual approach’, with all services, including bin collections continuing to operate as normal.

Councillor Lyndsey Leonard, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Net Zero at Sunderland City Council, said: "We are working closely with the emergency services and key partners to respond to any weather related issues resulting from Storm Eowyn.

“We are continuing to monitor the situation and have teams on standby ready to support our communities should the need arise."

Any urgent reports of storm damage can be reported to the council on 0191 520 5550.

Newcastle International Airport said the high winds were affecting flight schedules and advised passengers to check for updates https://bit.ly/4g2iwCr. A number of lights have already been cancelled.