NEWS

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Northern Ireland, warning that spells of heavy rain could lead to flooding in places and disruption to transport networks. The warning, which follows the recent impact of Storm Chandra, is in effect across all six counties from 00:00 until 18:00 on Friday 30 January 2026. According to the Met Office , “spells of heavy rain will move over Northern Ireland during Thursday night and Friday” , raising concerns for communitie

The scene on Steeple Road, Antrim Road users across Northern Ireland are being urged to exercise caution as the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) continues to respond to the aftermath of Storm Chandra, which has brought widespread flooding, fallen trees and hazardous driving conditions. While weather warnings for heavy rain and strong winds have now ended, the impact on the road network remains significant, with difficult conditions reported in many areas due to surface wat

The Met Office has issued a further yellow weather warning for ice across Northern Ireland, as multi-agency partners continue to meet in response to Storm Chandra and its ongoing impacts. The warning is in place from 03:00 to 10:00 on Wednesday 28 January 2026 , with all counties affected. Forecasters have warned that clearing skies overnight on Tuesday will allow temperatures to fall below freezing, increasing the risk of icy conditions following several days of heavy rainfa

Emergency services, infrastructure teams and public bodies across Northern Ireland are stepping up preparations ahead of the anticipated impact of Storm Chandra, as a combination of yellow and amber Met Office weather warnings for heavy rain and strong winds comes into force. Multi-agency planning is already underway to minimise disruption and protect public safety, with authorities warning of possible power cuts, travel disruption, flooding and coastal hazards over the comin

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for parts of Northern Ireland as Storm Chandra is forecast to bring very strong winds, heavy rain and the risk of disruption on Tuesday. The amber warning will be in effect between 05:00 and 21:00 on Tuesday 27 January 2026 , covering County Antrim, County Down and County Londonderry. Forecasters warn that easterly winds will strengthen rapidly early on Tuesday morning, with gusts of 60–70 mph expected across eastern and nort

The Met Office has issued an updated yellow weather warning for rain covering Northern Ireland, with heavy rainfall and strong winds forecast to bring the risk of flooding and disruption on Tuesday 27 January. The warning is in effect from 02:00 until 21:00 on Tuesday , as a spell of unsettled weather moves across the region. Outbreaks of rain are expected to spread across Northern Ireland during the early hours, with some of the precipitation possibly falling as snow for a t

A lethal fungal pandemic once blamed for driving amphibians towards extinction may now be losing its grip in tropical regions, according to a major new global study led by Queen’s University Belfast. The research suggests that many tropical amphibian species have evolved resistance to chytridiomycosis – the most destructive wildlife disease ever recorded – raising cautious optimism that some populations may be stabilising or even beginning to recover. Chytridiomycosis, caused

Northern Ireland is set to face a spell of unsettled weather over the coming days, with two yellow weather warnings for rain issued amid concerns about localised flooding, difficult travel conditions and further disruption. The first warning comes into effect from 18: 00 on Saturday 24 January until 09:00 on Sunday 25 January , as a slow-moving area of low pressure brings a prolonged period of rain across the region overnight. A band of rain and showers, heavy at times, is ex

Robin Swann MP South Antrim MP Robin Swann has called on Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council to take a stronger and more ambitious lead in protecting the Common Swift, warning that continued habitat loss is contributing to a worrying decline in the species across Northern Ireland. The Common Swift, designated the borough’s official ‘Bird of the Borough’ in 2015, is a cavity-dwelling bird that depends on small gaps in older buildings for nesting. However, modern renovatio

A yellow weather warning for rain has been issued for Northern Ireland, with forecasters warning of potential flooding and transport disruption throughout Thursday. The warning is in effect between 10:00 and 23:59 on Thursday 22 January 2026 , covering County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County Londonderry and County Tyrone. Periods of persistent rain are expected to affect much of the region during the day. Weather officials say 15 to 25mm of rainfall is likely to fal

Local UUP Councillor Brian Thompson with Rosie Orr and a number of other local residents launch Stop The Build Community Group as they deliver a strongly supported petition and letters of opposition to council’s planning director at Ardeevin, Ballymena. Opposition is continuing to grow against a proposed housing development close to the Braid River Walk in Ballymena, with residents from across the wider Tullygarley and Galgorm Road areas joining forces to protect what they de

Police in Ballymena have attended the Shilnavogy Road area following reports of suspected hare coursing, as officers continue to step up efforts to tackle wildlife crime across the district. Ballymena Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) confirmed they were in the area on Saturday (January 10) after receiving information suggesting illegal hare coursing activity. Hare coursing, which involves the pursuit of hares by dogs for sport or gambling, is illegal and widely regarded as a

The Met Office has issued successive yellow weather warnings for strong winds across Northern Ireland, warning of potential disruption from Sunday through into Monday. The first warning is in force from 00:00 until 21:00 on Sunday, 11 January 2026 , and covers County Antrim, County Down, County Londonderry and County Tyrone. A second warning follows immediately afterwards, running from 21:00 on Sunday, 11 January, until 12:00 on Monday, 12 January 2026 , and applies to County

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for rain affecting Northern Ireland, with the potential for localised flooding as heavy rainfall combines with milder temperatures and melting snow. The warning is in effect from 9.00pm on Saturday 10 January until 9.00pm on Sunday 11 January , covering the entire region. According to the Met Office, bands of rain will move across Northern Ireland during Saturday evening and throughout Sunday, bringing the risk of flooding in

A yellow weather warning for snow and ice has been issued for Northern Ireland, with icy conditions expected to develop overnight on Friday and into Saturday morning. The warning is in force from 5pm on Friday 9 January until 11am on Saturday 10 January , covering much of the region during a period when temperatures are forecast to drop sharply below freezing. Forecasters say clear spells on Friday evening and overnight will allow temperatures to fall quickly, leading to the

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for ice covering all of Northern Ireland, with hazardous conditions expected overnight and into Friday morning. The warning will be in effect from 12.00am until 11.00am on Friday, 9 January 2026 , as temperatures fall and wintry showers create icy patches on roads and pavements. According to the Met Office, “clearing skies and scattered wintry showers” are expected to develop through the night, increasing the risk of ice, p

Icicles in the Glens of Antrim. (Image Liz Weir) A yellow weather warning for ice has been issued for Northern Ireland, with hazardous conditions expected to develop from Monday evening through to Tuesday morning, raising concerns for commuters, motorists and pedestrians. The warning is effective from 5pm on Monday 5 January 2026 until 10am on Tuesday 6 January 2026, according to the Met Office. Forecasters say ice formation on untreated surfaces is likely to cause impacts in

The Met Office has issued two consecutive yellow weather warnings for snow and ice across Northern Ireland, warning that prolonged wintry conditions could lead to travel disruption from Friday afternoon through the weekend and into Monday morning. The first warning is in effect from 3:00pm on Friday 2 January 2026 until 12:00pm on Saturday 3 January 2026 , with a second warning following immediately from 12:00pm on Saturday 3 January until 12:00pm on Monday 5 January 2026. Fo

Farmers across Northern Ireland are being urged to familiarise themselves with newly introduced Farm Sustainability Standards (FSS), which came into force today, 1 January 2026 , and will underpin eligibility for a wide range of agricultural support schemes. The new standards form a central pillar of the Sustainable Agriculture Programme (SAP) and are designed to ensure continued access to the Farm Sustainability Payment (FSP) and other key schemes supporting the agri-food se

Crop walks during the ‘Growers’ Gathering’ provided opportunities for useful discussions and viewing of implementation strategies in action at Greenmount Campus, Antrim. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) has launched a new series of industry-focused events with the inaugural Growers’ Gathering for Production Horticulture, bringing together growers, researchers and policymakers to address one of the sector’s most pressing challenges – reducing and u