As I write this late on Saturday morning, it is the calm after the storm! Glorious sunny skies in much of the SE of Northern Ireland, and while not quite still outside certainly not windy.

The simplest way to categorise high wind speeds is that anything approaching 100mph is highly unusual on these islands, and very dangerous, and anything above it exceptionally so. That is the level winds were at on these islands yesterday, as this article explains.

Of all the many stories we have on Storm Eowyn, the most read one is this, about the roof being ripped of Bangor leisure centre. When I think of the joy that pool gives my nephews and nieces, and how pleased I was as a former swimmer when it was built to see an Olympic sized pool in Co Down, I am all the more saddened to hear of its latest damage.

As of 11am, almost 200,000 properties were still without power. I have a colleague whose power went out before 9am on Friday and was still out 24 hours later. At 2pm yesterday, when the red warning lifted I took the video in this story from a house on which a tree fell in Cyprus Avenue. 

Did public transport need to be called off to the extent it was? It is always a tricky balance. But thank goodness for those dedicated folk who do go to work in key jobs in such conditions.

The calmer weather means that a farmer tractor protest rally is going ahead shortly.

Here is Jackie McGregor on panic attacks. And here I am on Donald Trump, for all his huge flaws, at least being strong on key issues that need it.

Enjoy your weekend and your reading,

Ben