Storm Bram to bring strong winds to Northern Ireland

Storm Bram is expected to bring wind gusts of about 50mph (80km/h) to Northern Ireland by lunchtime on Tuesday.

The winds are then expected to strengthen further into the afternoon.

The Met Office has issued a yellow wind warning covering Northern Ireland, advising of the potential of disruption, with the worst of the wind forecast from early afternoon into the evening rush hour.

Temporary flood defences have been installed along parts of the River Lagan in Belfast ahead of a predicted tidal surge.

Ten flights from Belfast City Airport to Great Britain have been cancelled on Tuesday, along with 11 inbound flights from Great Britain to Belfast City Airport.

These are mainly Aer Lingus regional flights which are typically the propeller planes.

There are also several dozen flights cancelled between Dublin Airport and Great Britain on Tuesday.

The 11:30, 15:30 and 19:30 Stena Line sailings between Belfast and Cairnryan have been cancelled on Tuesday, and the 23:30 service is also “in doubt.”

The 02:15 and 08:15 Stena Line sailings from Dublin to Holyhead have also been cancelled, along with the 04:00, 09:00 and 15:15 services from Holyhead to Dublin.

All P&O ferry sailings between Larne and Cairnryan have been cancelled on Tuesday.

NI Direct is advising members of the public to not visit any forests, country parks or nature reserves until the weather warning has ended.

A number of councils said they are closing some facilities and open spaces during the period of the weather warning.

• Bangor Castle Walled Garden (including the Jingle Bell Trail)

• All parks, play parks, open spaces and golf courses
• Outdoor Facilities & Caravan Parks
• Clare Glen
• Craigavon Golf & Ski Centre
• Gosford, Darkley & Carnagh Forest Parks
• Kinnego Marina
• Navan Centre
• Oxford Island

• Victoria Park
• Belfast Christmas Market

• All cemeteries – except for burials
• All parks – including Brooke Park Leisure Centre,
• Play areas and other Council-owned open spaces

• Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail
• Gortin Glens Forest Park (including scenic drive)
• Lough Navar Forest Drive
• Household Recycling Centres (due to risk of flying debris)
• Forthill Park
• Henry Street Dog Park
• Killyfole Walk
• North Fermanagh Valley Park
• Arleston Dog Park
• St Julian’s Park

• Ballymena parks: Peoples Park, Sentry Hill, Memorial Park and Bracknamuckley Wood
• Carrickfergus parks: Shaftsbury and Joymount
• Larne parks: Dixon Park, Larne Town Park and Carnfunnock Country Park walkways
• Bentra Golf Course

• Ballyronan Caravan Park
• OM Dark Sky Park & Observatory – Davagh
• Dungannon Park, Café and Caravan Park
• Roundlake Caravan Park
• Hill of the O’Neill (Ranfurly House Remaining open)
• Pomeroy Forest Building

• Household recycling centres
• Forest/Country Parks including Castlewellan, Delamont, Kilbroney, Slieve Gullion and Warrenpoint Municipal Park
• All associated facilities Cafes, Forest drives, Mountain Bike trails etc
• Newcastle and Killough harbour

Roads and river teams from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) have been checking and clearing road gullies, and other drainage infrastructure.

There are additional staff on standby to respond to incidents and temporary flood defences have been installed as part of a precautionary measure.

Flood defences which were installed along parts of the River Lagan earlier this year have also been put in place.

The department said a tidal surge is expected on Tuesday afternoon close to the time of high tide which could increase water levels in the river downstream of Stranmillis Weir.

The department also warned of the potential for large waves and flooding of coastal roads, especially along the County Down coast.

Bram is the second named storm of the 2025-26 season.

It was named after the Irish writer Bram Stoker, author of the world-renowned vampire novel, Dracula.

He was born as Abraham Stoker Jnr in Marino, Dublin in 1847 and he published his Gothic horror masterpiece 50 years later in 1897.

Bram was among 21 names selected earlier this year as part of a joint agreement by the UK Met Office, Ireland’s Met Éireann and the Dutch weather service KNMI.

A storm is only given a name from the official list when they forecast it has the potential to trigger an amber/orange or red warning and have substantial impact.

The naming of storms began in 2015, in a bid to raise public awareness of potential hazards posed by severe weather conditions and help people prepare and stay safe.

The 21 names were chosen out of a list of more than 50,000 suggestions which were submitted by members of the public to the three weather service providers.

This year, for the first time, all three organisations made their choices entirely based on public suggestions.

The storm season runs from 1 September to 31 August each year.

Strong winds during storms can pose dangers such as knocking down trees and pulling tiles off roofs, and heavy rain can lead to flooding.

There are a number of steps you can take to prepare and protect yourself and your home before a storm hits, including:

• Keep a torch and working batteries in your home in case of a power cut
• Charge mobile phones and any other critical devices
• Secure any loose objects outside your property such as bins, trampolines and garden furniture
• Check fences and roof tiles are secure
• Clear any debris such as moss and leaves from guttering
• If possible, remove any loose or overhanging branches from your trees

For extra tips on how to stay safe during a storm, read here.

To report faults or emergencies you should contact:

• Flooding Incident Line: 0300 2000 100
• NI Water: 03457 44 00 88 or visit niwater.com
• NIE Networks: 03457 643 643 or visit nienetworks.co.uk
• Northern Ireland Housing Executive: 03448 920 901
• Openreach: 08000 232 023
• Gas networks: 0800 002 001