An amber weather warning has been issued as Storm Hector heads for Northern Ireland this evening.
Weather experts say exposed locations could see winds of up to 70mph.
The weather warning is in place between 4am and 9am on Thursday with a yellow warning in place between 3am and 3pm.
The Met Office says cancellations are likely, as road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected.
Damage to buildings could occur and there is a chance of power outages, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.
Danger to life is also likely from large coastal waves.
Flying debris is anticipated and this could lead to injuries or loss of life.
After Mediterranean-like temperatures over the past two weeks, this sudden u-turn means that garden furniture should be stored away or secured. And anyone towing a caravan is asked to be particularly vigilant.
Storm Hector could cause problems during the commute, so motorists are advised to leave extra time for journeys.
#StormHector will bring very strong winds ?️ and spells of rain ?️ to northern parts of the UK tonight and tomorrow. Our latest press release has the details: https://t.co/ki1O1Xx8KJ pic.twitter.com/gaOE31weDe
— Met Office (@metoffice) June 13, 2018
BREAKING: #StormHector , the first named storm to affect UK & Ireland since January, has been officially named. Set to bring disruptive winds & heavy rain to Ireland, Northern Ireland & much of Scotland from late Wednesday. Updates: @metoffice @MetEireann #Hector #ukweather pic.twitter.com/fIhFNO5WTV
— Airport Webcams (@AirportWebcams) June 13, 2018