Parks and tourist spots set to close amid Storm Floris alert with wind to batter NI

Belfast Telegraph

a day ago

It comes as the Met Office confirmed the weekend will be largely calm and dry before the storm, with temperatures expected to reach around 20C across most of the country.
A yellow weather warning for strong and potentially dangerous winds are expected from 6am on Monday to 6am on Tuesday.
The alert affects all six Northern Ireland counties.
The Met Office said: 'Storm Floris will bring a spell of unusually windy weather for the time of year across the northern half of the UK early next week.
"The strongest winds are most likely to occur across Scotland during Monday afternoon and night, although there remains some uncertainty in the depth and track of Floris.
"Across the warning area, many inland areas are likely to see westerly wind gusts of 40-50mph with 60-70mph possible along exposed coasts and high ground, especially Scotland.'
They continued: "Winds will first ease in the west during later Monday but remaining very strong overnight until early Tuesday in the east. Heavy rain may also contribute to the disruption in places.'
The forecaster also issued general weather advice to the public, including to ensure people take extra care if they are near the coast.
'Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly. When a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area,' they added.
Officials have confirmed that a number of recreational areas in the country – particularly in Co Down - have announced their closure on Monday ahead of the weather warning.
Among those, Silent Valley Mountain Park will remain closed during the warning, it has been confirmed.
They said the decision was taken 'in the interest of public safety as some trees at Silent Valley were damaged following Storm Éowyn.'
'While the park was partially reopened earlier this year, some walking and nature trails remain closed due to the damage,' a spokesperson said.
'Repairs are ongoing, but it will take time to fully restore all areas.
'A site inspection will take place on Tuesday to determine if it is safe to reopen.'
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council posted on Facebook that the district's forest parks and trails will also remain closed on Monday.
This includes Castlewellan, Delamont, Kilbroney, Slieve Gullion and Warrenpoint Municipal Park.
'Community Trails will be closed to cars and pedestrians due to the increased likelihood and risks associated with falling branches and debris,' said a council spokesperson.
'All associated facilities (Cafes, Caravan Parks, Forest drives, Mountain Bike trails etc) will be closed on Monday 4 August.
'We also advise the public not to visit our play parks, outdoor sport facilities and outdoor recreational areas.
'Council is advising the public not to visit forests, country parks, community trails, beaches, harbours, nature reserves and coastal sites in vehicles or on foot.
'Please note that there will be some delays in the re-opening of the Parks and Mountain Bike Trails on Tuesday (to facilitate full safety inspections). We will endeavour to reinstate public access as soon as possible.
Please keep an eye on our social media channels for further updates.'
The yellow weather warning comes after Northern Ireland recorded its sixth warmest July on record since Met Office records begin in 1884.
Last month was also the UK's fifth warmest July on record overall.
The mean average temperature across the month was 16.8C, according to provisional figures from the Met Office.
July was the sixth consecutive month of above-average mean temperatures for the UK and followed the warmest June on record for England and second warmest June for the country as a whole.
According to the figures, Northern Ireland has had 499.0mm of rainfall - the lowest since 2001 (455.6mm).