By 
EARLY school closures have been announced as Storm Bram’s severe winds begin to bear down on County Tyrone.
Holy Cross College in Strabane is one of a number of schools across the North that confirmed it would close early today after an amber weather warning was issued ahead of the storm’s expected high winds.
More schools are anticipated to follow suit over the course of the afternoon.
Several others have stated they will remain open as normal but will allow parents to collect pupils early if they feel it is necessary.
The decisions follow an upgraded Met Office wind warning, with forecasters cautioning that Storm Bram may cause significant disruption across the North.
The amber alert — covering Antrim, Fermanagh, Derry and Tyrone — came into effect at 2pm and remains in place until 7pm.
Earlier today, the Education Authority (EA) advised schools to be “flexible on school leaving times” as conditions deteriorate.