Hurricane Ophelia: Met Office warns of 'potential danger to life' as it raises weather warning level

Forecaster says 'pretty exceptional' tropical storm will bring 'hurricane-force' winds to UK

The Met Office has issued an amber severe weather warning as the remnants of Hurricane Ophelia hit the UK and Ireland.

It warned of "potential for injuries and danger to life" and predicted gusts of up to 80mph.

Flying debris such as roof tiles were said to be likely, along with large waves around the coast.

All schools and colleges in the Republic of Ireland will be closed on Monday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said.

Northern Ireland is covered with an amber warning – meaning there is a "potential risk to life and property" – a notice issued when forecasters believe people need to be prepared to change their plans and "protect you, your family and community from the impacts of the severe weather based on the forecast".

Very windy weather is expected across the entire region, while a yellow warning is in place for much of Wales, Scotland, north east England, north west England, south west England and the West Midlands.

Gusts of 55-65mph are likely across Northern Ireland with 70-80mph gusts in the far south-east.

A smaller area of very gusty winds is then likely to run across Northern Ireland from the west with 65-75mph gusts possible for a short period of time in any one location.

Longer journey times and cancellations are likely, as road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected as well as some bridge closures.

Heavy rain is also possible in parts of Northern Ireland and western Scotland.

The Republic of Ireland's Met Office has issued a red warning for Wexford, Galway, Mayo, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Waterford.

It forecast winds in excess of 80mph (130km/h) will hit coastal areas on Monday and is warning against unnecessary travel.

Gerald Fleming, head of the centre's forecasting division, told Irish broadcaster RTE: “The track is very consistent [and] has been for days.

”The strongest winds [will be] along the south coast.

Met Office forecaster Luke Miall said: "We do get these sorts of strengths of winds most winters. We generally get a few storms that will see these sorts of winds, but this is quite a substantial system because of where it's coming from as well.

"And to get that sort of south-easterly strength across the south east of Northern Ireland — you don't generally get that.

"You tend to get strong south-westerly winds because the systems come up across the northern half of the UK.

"So yeah I'd say it's pretty exceptional."

Mr Miall said Ophelia will have gone through a transition on its way across the Atlantic and will no longer be a hurricane, but will still bring "hurricane-force" winds.

By coincidence, Monday is the 30th anniversary of the Great Storm of 1987, which killed almost 20 people in Britain.

Former BBC weatherman Michael Fish, who infamously announced the UK would not be hit by the hurricane, has warned "we have Ophelia heading our way" and went on to say "it looks nasty."