Several weather warnings - ranging from yellow to red - have been issued across the country, with the worst conditions expected to hit Northern Ireland and Scotland

Hundreds of flights are canceled and ground transportation is suspended as a severe winter storm sweeps across the UK and Ireland on Friday.

A red weather warning is the most serious alert issued by the UK’s Met Office, signifying a high likelihood of severe disruption and risk to life. While such warnings are an official recommendation to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary, they do not automatically entitle employees to time off work.

The UK and Ireland are bracing for Storm Éowyn, with rare red weather warnings issued across Scotland and Northern Ireland, predicting gusts of up to 100mph (161km/h). Millions of residents received emergency alerts on Thursday, urging them to stay home and prepare for potential life-threatening conditions.

All schools across Northern Ireland are closed and thousands of homes are without power. It is the first red warning that has been issued in Northern Ireland since a new warning system started in 2011. The last time all NI schools were advised to close due to weather was due to Hurricane Ophelia in 2017.

Speaking to RTÉ the chair of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group has said Storm Éowyn will "probably be among the severest storms that Ireland has ever seen". Additionally, the Met Office has issued an amber wind warning for Northern Ireland.

London: Ireland and Scotland were on high alert as a violent storm hit them on Friday, with schools ordered to close and trains cancelled. Widespread damage has been reported in Ireland with power outages affecting 560,