Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Mike Silverstone said: “The strongest gusts are likely to be felt across parts of Northern Ireland, northern England, north-western Wales and western Scotland, where exposed sites could get gusts in excess of 80mph, which has the potential to cause impacts for those in these areas.

A number of supermarkets and businesses are closed and Translink has suspended all bus and train services on Friday morning

Storm Éowyn is forecast to make landfall in Ireland late on Thursday before moving on to the rest of the UK on Friday according to Met Office models. The storm will bring gusts of 80mph to coastal areas and 60mph inland with potential for a danger to life caused by flying debris.

According to the Met Office, yellow and amber warnings represent a range of impact levels and likelihoods. The impacts can include damage to property, travel delays and cancellations, loss of water supplies, power cuts, and, in the most severe cases, danger to life.

The Met Office has warned Storm Eowyn could see winds of up to 90mph hammer parts of the UK, with 'widespread disruption and significant impacts expected'

The wind warning is in effect from 8am until 3pm on January 26, while the rain warning arrives at 8am Sunday, lasting until 6am on Monday, January 27. Issuing the alerts, the Met Office said: " Spells of heavy rain may lead to some local flooding during Sunday and Monday.

GMT on Friday. It is the first time that a red warning has been issued for Northern Ireland since the Met Office moved to impact-based warnings in 2011. Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “We reserve the issuing of Red Warnings for the most severe weather which represents a likely danger to life and severe disruption,