What is a red weather warning and what should you do?

The arrival of Storm Éowyn has lead to red weather warnings being put in place for Northern Ireland and Scotland, so people can get prepared for strong winds.

But what does this actually mean?

There are three types of weather warnings: Red, amber and yellow.

Red is the most serious kind of weather warning that the Met Office can issue.

A red warning means that it is likely that the weather will cause damage, for example to buildings, roads, houses and shops.

The Met Office says that when it issues a red weather warning, people shouldn't travel at all, if possible, and stay safe.

The red warning also means that if people do have to travel, to expect problems getting around - buses, trains and flights may be delayed or cancelled altogether.

The winds expected could affect power cables which may mean homes in the areas affected have power cuts.

Most importantly it means that there could be a risk to people's lives if they are not careful.

The public are advised to stay away from areas which could be potentially dangerous, and follow the advice of the emergency services and local authorities.