Wind and rain from Storm Ali have begun to lash the UK and Ireland as the first named storm of the season moves in.
Forecasters have warned of a “danger to life” with the possibility of flying debris and damage to buildings. Gusts of wind have reached 91mph, the Met Office said, as it issued yellow and amber warnings covering Northern Ireland, Scotland, northwest Wales and the north of England.
In Co Galway, Ireland, a woman in her 50s died after the caravan she was in was blown off a cliff by the storm.
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Some school pupils in Marske-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, will at least be grateful for Storm Ali.
Outwood Academy Bydales has announced all detentions tonight have been cancelled due to torrential rain.
Pupils and teachers are being forced to stay late at schools in Dumfries and Galloway, where a major incident has been declared.
Children have been banned from walking home after several people were injured by flying debris, while all school buses have been delayed until 5pm at the earliest.
Parents have been asked to delay collecting their children by car until winds have died down, with staff staying late at schools to supervise pupils.
This picture tweeted by the region's emergency support team gives you an idea of how treacherous the region's roads have been today:
...and provides a useful graphic to explain what is causing it:
Some school pupils in Scotland have been banned from walking home due to safety fears.
Some children had already been injured by flying debris, Dumfries and Galloway Virtual Operations Support Team (VOST) said.
Pupils will have to wait to be collected in a vehicle or until after the severe weather subsides before leaving schools, it said.
Highways England has issued a severe weather alert for north-west and north-east England.
A fallen tree blocked a major junction in the Aintree area of Liverpool, with motorists advised to avoid the area.
The A66 in Cumbria has been closed in both directions between the M6 and A1M due to high winds, and the A628 Woodhead Pass between Manchester and Sheffield has been closed to high sided vehicles.
The Met Office put in place a number of Amber and Yellow warnings for Cumbria, warning people to secure garden furniture, be aware of flying debris and take extra care on the roads.
Tug boats had to be called to the Nautica vessel which slipped its berth in Greenock, Scotland.
Strong winds saw the vessel - which had 478 passengers and 26 crew - leave the dock after its mooring lines parted.
The Forth Road Bridge, Clackmannanshire Bridge, Queensferry Crossing have put restrictions in place, while the Tay Road Bridge is shut to all traffic having recorded winds of nearly 92mph.
Dundrennan, in Dumfries and Galloway, has had gusts reaching 77 mph.
All vehicles and pedestrians have been stopped from using the Forth Road Bridge, while the Queensferry Crossing has been shut to high-sided vehicles including double-decker buses.
Restrictions were also put in place on the Skye Bridge due to strong gales.
At about 10am part of the A75 in Dumfries and Galloway, near the Collin bypass, was blocked for an hour due to a fallen tree.
Dumfries and Galloway Virtual Operations Support Team (VOST) reported that similar incidents had occurred across the region.
The Highland main line was shut by rail operators after a freight train was derailed during high winds.
At about 1.40am a northbound service struck tree branches and left the track near Culloden.
No trains are running between Inverness and Perth but ScotRail said they expect the line to reopen in the early afternoon.
A spokesman said: "Specialist engineers and lifting equipment are on their way to the site and we will re-rail the engine and reopen the line as soon as possible."
Some bus services have also been suspended due to the weather.
UK prepares for storms Ali, Bronagh and Idris this winter as Met releases new storm names
Around 80 per cent of people think storm names help make them aware of severe weatherThe worst of Ali’s weather is forecast to be in the north, although areas outside the official weather warnings are unlikely to escape wet and windy conditions.
While southern parts of England and Wales could reach continued unseasonable highs of up to 24C, it will feel cooler due to the strong winds, Mr Wilson said.
The unsettled weather is due to last right through the week, but an improvement is expected early next week as drier weather is set to take hold.
