Storm Brian

Yesterday Storm Brian was officially named by the Met Office as a weather bomb formed in the Atlantic Ocean.

A double dip in low pressure has brought a yellow weather warning of strong gale-force winds and the predications of heavy rain.

Winds will begin to pick up over Ireland from early on Saturday morning as it sweeps in from the ocean.

The Met Office said: "A spell of strong southwesterly winds is expected. Some coastal routes and communities are likely to be affected by large waves, with potential for flooding of properties.

"Some transport disruption is likely across the warning area, with delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport. Short term loss of power and other services is also possible

• Warning of heavy rain in Northern Ireland

It warned some coastal areas in the UK could be affected by large waves, with the potential for flooding.

Some transport disruption was "likely", with delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport all possible, the warning added. Short term loss of power and other services is also possible, it said.

The Met Office's chief forecaster Dan Suri said the worst of the storm was likely to be felt in Ireland.

"At the moment, we don't expect the same level of impacts for the UK," he said.

"Gusts exceeding 50mph are expected widely within the warning area, with gusts of around 70mph along exposed coastal areas. These are expected to coincide with high tides, leading to locally dangerous conditions in coastal parts."

The Met Office said it currently has no plans to issue an amber warning for any part of the UK, but the situation was "under continual review".

Met Éireann said there was a risk of coastal flooding in some areas of the Irish Republic.

Under storm naming guidelines, the Met Office and its partner agency Met Éireann name any storm with an amber - or orange - wind warning.

A storm - the tail end of Hurricane Ophelia which travelled across the Atlantic Ocean from the Azores - caused significant damage to the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and north Wales last week.

The Met Office and Met Éireann do not rename the remnants of storms that have moved across the Atlantic, if they have already been named.

On Monday, three people in Ireland died in the storm. Thousands of people were also left without water and power.