Winds of 80mph (130km/h) are expected as the remnants of Hurricane Ophelia head towards the UK from the Atlantic Ocean
The Republic of Ireland is bearing the brunt - and gusts of 109mph have already been measured off its south coast
Three people have been killed in separate storm-related incidents in the Irish Republic
Thousands of homes are without power in the Irish Republic
Amber wind warnings are in place in Northern Ireland and in parts of Wales
The Met Office in the UK warns of a "potential danger to life"
Schools are closed in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland because of the weather
The Irish government deploys its army to coastal counties, and Irish bus and tram services have been suspended
As Ophelia batters the south west coast of Ireland, the skies over Dublin Bay are beginning to look ominous.
Dublin's tram system, the Luas, is being suspended from noon, and buses are stopping until at least 14:00 BST.
Residents are preparing for the worst with sandbags.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and Ireland's transport minister, Shane Ross, have been giving a press conference.
Mr Varadkar reiterated his government's message that people shouldn’t make unnecessary journeys and should stay indoors until the storm passes.
He also said that even after the storm passes conditions can remain dangerous, such as because of fallen power lines or trees.
He said he doesn't want people to think Ophelia is "anything other than a national emergency".
RTE reporter Paschal Sheehy is reporting from Dingle Bay on the south west coast of Ireland, where wind speeds are picking up.
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Ex-Hurricane Ophelia has now hit the south coast of Ireland, satellite pictures show.
Met Eireann continues to advise people to remain indoors.
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Giancarlo Rinaldi
South Scotland reporter, BBC news website
The south west of Scotland Virtual Operations and Support Team (VOST) is now in operation ahead of the amber warning of strong winds.
Run by Dumfries and Galloway's police and council it provides live updates of any incidents in the region.
From BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood...
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Image source, Getty ImagesThe Luas - Dublin's tram system - is to be suspended from midday as overhead power lines have to be turned off as a precaution.
The trams are being curtailed from 10:00 BST, and normal service will not be resumed until tomorrow.
Buses in Dublin also stopped at 10:00 BST and will not resume until at least this evening.
Schools across Ireland have been closed as Ophelia is expected to cause disruption across the Emerald Isle, with 92mph (148km/h) winds have been recorded at Fastnet Rock.
But one pub in Galway is using the school closures to its advantage, offering teachers the craic with a pint and live music for "bank holiday Ophelia".
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Met Eireann has advised people to stay indoors as the storm passes over Ireland towards Northern Ireland.
BBC Radio 5 live
As Ophelia nears the British Isles, BBC weatherman Simon King remembers the Great Storm of 1987 - the aftermath of which was felt 30 years ago today:
"The Great Storm of 1987 is a weather event many of us will have a memory of. You might have been directly impacted by the storm or you may just know about it from the infamous Michael Fish forecast. For me, it was much more. It was waking up in the early hours of the 16th October as a seven year old hearing the garden gate banging and the wind howling outside and the subsequent power cut that got me fascinated with the weather. It was this storm that planted the seed which grew into me being a weather presenter today."
Simon has written a blog about how this event changed weather forecasting forever, which can be found here.
Weatherman Simon King explains how raw data is turned into a weather forecast.
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The lighthouse at Fastnet Rock - battered by gusts of up to 92mph this morning - is well-known to those in the yachting and sailing world.
The Cornish granite tower is situated on an islet eight miles off the coast of County Cork and is the halfway point of the biennial Fastnet Race - even though Yachting World magazine contends that it is slightly past the halfway point.
It gained its nickname - the Teardrop of Ireland - as it was the last part of Ireland that thousands of Irish emigrants saw as they sailed away to start a new life in the US or Canada.
Image source, Getty ImagesGusts of 92mph (148km/h) have been recorded at Fastnet Rock, eight miles off the coast of County Cork, in south west Ireland.
Met Eireann also said there had been gusts of 66mph (107km/h) at Roches Point in Cork Harbour.
The Irish government has deployed the army to assist as the storm batters the south coast, and people have been advised to remain indoors.
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At Land's End Airport, all flights have been suspended because of the weather.
Ireland's Department of Culture has suspended all non-essential activities as the country prepares for up to 80mph (130km/h) gusts of wind.
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The west coast of England can expect high winds of 60-70mph (up to 112km/h) later this morning, as Ophelia moves closer to the Republic of Ireland and the British Isles.
Ireland will receive the main brunt of of the storm, and Northern Ireland is expected to receive winds of 80mph (130km/h).
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Dublin Airport is currently operating normally but now expect about 130 flights to be cancelled this afternoon - up from about 80 earlier this morning.
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The Met Office has updated its weather warnings as Ophelia nears landfall in Ireland.
An amber warning will be in effect from midday in Northern Ireland, and potential 80mph (130km/h) winds are expected to disrupt road, rail, and ferry services. Some areas of Scotland and Wales are also under an amber warning.
Flights from George Best and Belfast International airports have been disrupted by the storm.
A yellow warning will also be in place from 12:00 BST in parts of Scotland, Wales, the west coast of England and parts of the north east. Although winds are expected to be less severe, they could still cause disruption.