Downpatrick was hit hard with flooding earlier this month and many fear that Storm Debi could bring more.

Among those concerned is coffee shop owner Darren Kearney who has concerns his business could be hit again.

On his way into Downpatrick he noted surface water flooding many roads and has since heard news that the bridge at the Killyleagh Road has been closed.

"I think there may be more damage than we think, with the amount of water that sat for a long period of time," he said.

"There may be much more structural damage which we might not see for some months."

The rain and wind are rising, but the Children in Need Pudsey bunting outside BBC Northern Ireland on Ormeau Avenue appears to be holding up - for now.

Image source, Pacemaker

The Coast Road, Glenarm, is currently closed due to a landslide.

It's not the first time the road has been closed due to a weather related landslide - in October the same thing happened.

Diversions are currently in place via the Dickeystown Road and officers are in the area directing traffic.

Please avoid the area at this time.

Michael Fitzpatrick
BBC News NI

Part of the Bryansford Road in Newcastle is currently closed due to a fallen tree.

Workers from a building site which the tree fell from are currently working to break the tree up and clear it from the road.

Image source, Getty Images

The highest gust speeds in Northern Ireland so far are:

• 73mph Killowen, County Down
• 65mph Orlock Head, County Down

Michael Fitzpatrick
BBC News NI

This is the current scene at the rock pool in Newcastle.

The heavy rain has begun to ease and has almost stopped with brighter skies coming through. It’s still very windy along the coast with the amber warning in place until midday.

I haven’t come across any flooding or fallen trees in and around Newcastle and all roads in the area appear to be passable.

Red level weather warnings have been lifted in the Republic of Ireland, but orange and yellow alerts remain.

The Status Orange warning for wind is in place until 10:00 local time for the following counties: Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow, Cavan, Monaghan, Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway, Roscommon.

This could bring a risk of damage to vulnerable and exposed structures, trees and power lines. There could also be dangerous travel conditions and disruption to services.

A Status Yellow alert for wind and rain across Ireland will be active until 15:00.

The weather service says this could bring fallen trees, localised flooding and hazardous travel conditions.

Northern Ireland faces an amber warning for wind until 12:00 GMT, mostly affecting the south-east, and a yellow alert for rain and wind until 14:00.

The Department for Infrastructure has urged road users to take care this morning.

The department issued the following advice for people encountering flooded roads caused by Storm Debi.

Image source, DfI

Dean McLaughlin
BBC News NI

Things don't appear to be too bad in Derry city centre this morning but we are hearing about localised flooding on the outskirts including parts of the Trench Rd towards Newbuildings.

There was bad flooding earlier on the main roads in Myroe, Ballykelly and Greysteel too with delays.

We're also getting reports that the road between Newbuildings and Gobnascale is currently flooded. People are being asked to be aware that it is only passable one car at a time.

Image source, Getty Images

There are a number of power cuts across Ireland because of the impact of Storm Debi.

In Northern Ireland, NIE say approximately 3,000 customers are without power, mainly in the areas of Craigavon, Newry and Downpatrick.

In the Republic of Ireland about 100,000 homes and businesses are without power.

Eight counties in the Republic of Ireland are still under a red weather warning.

Linda Hughes, a meteorologist at Met Éireann, tells Good Morning Ulster the centre of Storm Debi is over Northern Ireland at the moment.

She adds that things were bad overnight with severe winds in the west and south of Ireland.

About 100,000 homes and businesses are without power across the Republic.

There is a red wind warning for Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Louth, Meath, Wicklow, Offaly, Westmeath, which is due to end at 09:00 GMT.

"It is going to ease now though and the storm is going to track away to the north-east," she adds.

Image source, Getty

"Over the last month we've been experiencing one event after another which has been exacerbated every time we get another spell of rain," she says.

However, she adds that there are some positives.

"The rain bands have been fast moving with Storm Debi compared to Storm Babet which was a prolonged rainfall event."

However, she says: "Ulster could still see some fairly significant amounts of rain along with strong gusts."

The Republic's national emergency co-ordination group is to meet at 11:00 local time, an Irish government minister says.

Junior minister Patrick O'Donovan says the scale of the damage caused by the storm will be clearer later this morning when it is brighter.

"The local authority crews will (have only started) going out in the last while when the red warning was lifted in some counties.

"Once first light is achieved, they'll be able to see the scale of the damage," he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme.

Geoff Maskell
BBC News NI Weather Presenter

Northern Ireland is currently in the eye of Storm Debi with drier, calmer conditions for some.

But around the edge of the system there's a huge swirl of strong winds and heavy rain that will affect most places for at least a time today as the storm centre shifts away to the north.

It will turn drier and brighter this afternoon with the chance of some brightness for a few hours before dusk.

It will stay breezy but the winds will drop back from their peak and it will stay mild with highs of 9-13°C.

Image source, Getty Images

Michael Fitzpatrick
BBC News NI

I'm standing beside the promenade in Newcastle, County Down, which is experiencing wind gusts of about 44mph but the wind has been picking up considerably in the short time I have been standing here and it's forecast to get stronger.

The coast is also getting battered with heavy rain - and looking out to sea visibility is poor and the sea is stormy and choppy.

The police are urging people to avoid unnecessary journeys and I haven't seen too many people out here this morning apart from one lone walker.

I made my way here from Lisburn this morning and there was a lot of surface water on the main road which made driving conditions difficult with some shallow floodwaters.

Here in Newcastle the local council is waring of disruption to services due to Storm Debi's impact.

The Old Milltown Road in the direction of Shaw's Bridge in south Belfast is currently closed because of flooding, police say.

It has been closed at its junction with Belvoir Road.

Officers are asking people to avoid the area and seek an alternative journey.

Translink says there are a number of delays and changes due to the bad weather.

• The Bann Road in Castlewellan, County Down, is being closed due to flooding and as a result the St Malachy's to Leitrim service will not operate this morning
• Due to poor weather conditions expect delays to service 39 between Newry and Kilkeel
• Due to roads being impassable, Slievenaman and Bryansford Village will not be served this morning

• Lisburn Bus Station is currently closed. Passengers can access the outdoor stand area of the station via the pedestrian entrance on the Hillsborough Road

Keep an eye on Translink's social media accounts or website for updates., external

Image source, Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is asking road users to exercise caution.

Several parts of the road network are flooded this morning after plenty of rain overnight and the force is already dealing with a crash.

They've said no-one was injured.

Police are asking people to slow down and allow extra time for journeys, as there may be surface water and some hazardous conditions.

In Ballymena, County Antrim, fallen trees have affected:

• Old Portglenone Rd near Garvaghy Rd
• Woodside Rd near Moore's Concrete
• Moneyreagh Road, Moneyreagh
• Island Road Lower, Ballycarry
• Bryansford Avenue, Newcastle
• Crumlin Road close near Carlisle Circus, Belfast

There are reports of a landslip on the A2 Shore Road, Glenarm and the road is partially obstructed.

In the Republic of Ireland, a red alert - the highest level - was issued for 14 counties with a warning of a danger to life.

RTÉ correspondent Joe Mag Raollaigh shared a video showing Storm Debi's effect on the seawall on the Coast Road between Oranmore and Galway in the west of Ireland - the road is now closed.

Galway Atlantaquaria said Storm Debi had brough disruption in the early hours of this morning, posting a video of high water levels.