THE first named storm of the season has brought destructive winds across Ireland and is now making its way across the UK.
The Met Office said Storm Ali led to gusts of 91mph hitting Killowen in County Down, with 77mph winds recorded in Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway.
An amber weather warning is currently in place across most of southern Scotland, Argyll and the east coast.
Travel disruption, power cuts and flying debris are possible as the storm sweeps through, with severe gales and heavy rain forecast for a large part of the country
The weather alert, which is in place until Wednesday evening, warns that flying debris is likely and could lead to injuries or danger to life.
There is also potential for damage to buildings, fallen trees, travel cancellations, road closures and large waves in coastal areas.
A less severe yellow warning for wind is in place until Wednesday night.
Traffic Scotland said the Forth Road Bridge is closed to all vehicles and pedestrians.
ScotRail have cancelled hundreds of trains throughout the day due to various line blockages and power supply failures.
Calmac ferry services are subject to cancellations (check here for more details).
Glasgow, Edinburgh and Prestwick Airport warneds those flying today to expect disruption and to check with their airline or booking company for flight information
Gale-force gusts began to be recorded on the Galway coast as heavy rain moved in.
Forecasters in Ireland issued a Status Orange wind warning for more than half the country due to the storm.
A woman died after her caravan plunged off a cliff due to the strong winds, and photos posted on social media showed trees down in Galway.
The worst of Ali’s weather is forecast to be in the north, although areas outside the official weather warnings are unlikely to escape wet and windy conditions.
The unsettled weather is due to last right through the week, but an improvement is expected early next week as drier weather is set to take hold.
Ali is first on the storm names list for 2018-19 announced by the Met Office and Met Eireann, which has run the Name Our Storms scheme for four years.
The season’s names have been compiled from a list of submissions by the public, choosing some of the most popular names and also selecting those which reflect the nations, culture and diversity of the UK and Ireland.
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