Storm Bella is to hit Ireland as Met Eireann have issued a status yellow wind warning for ten counties on St Stephen's Day.
Through Saturday afternoon, evening and night, westerly winds associated with Storm Bella will bring gusts of 90 to 110 kilometres an hour.
With the combination of strong winds, high waves and forecasted storm surge, there is a risk of coastal flooding.
Met Eireann's warning includes all of Connacht, Donegal, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick.
It will be valid from 12:00 Saturday to 6am on Sunday.
Storm Bella was named by the UK Met Office.
In the UK, The Met Office has named Storm Bella as it issues an amber 'risk to life' weather alert.
A relatively calm Christmas is set to give way to widespread strong winds and rain by Boxing Day.
The wild conditions are set to bring disruption to travel and utilities over parts of south and southeast England and south Wales during the festive period.
The weather is expected to grow wilder, lashing the country into December 27 as strengthening winds and heavy rain move in from the north.
Met Eireann have forecast good wintry sunshine before a very cold Christmas Eve night.
There'll be a few passing showers in Connacht and Ulster with many parts of the country remaining dry.
Temperatures will drop quickly to -3 after dark this evening with widespread frost and some icy patches forming under mostly clear skies.
Frost and ice will clear during Christmas morning to leave the bulk of the country dry with a mix of cloud and sunny spells, the best of these in the east and south of the country.
However, there will be a few patches of light rain about, mainly across Connacht and west Ulster.
By Christmas Evening, persistent rain will move in from the Atlantic to affect northwestern counties.
Friday night (Christmas night) will be breezy overnight with scattered outbreaks of rain spreading southwards over the country.
Saturday (St. Stephen's Day) will be increasingly windy with scattered outbreaks of rain and drizzle.
Heavy rain will develop in northern counties by afternoon, extending nationwide during the afternoon and evening bringing a risk of localised flooding.
On Saturday night, heavy rain will clear southwards and it will turn much colder.
Sunday will be a cold and blustery day with bright spells and scattered showers, some wintry in nature.
Showers will become fairly widespread during the night, turning wintry in places as strong to gale force northwest winds develop.
It will be cold and windy on Monday with widespread showers, possibly wintry on high ground with a risk of hail.
It will stay cold and blustery overnight with a mix of clear spells and scattered showers.
Another cold and blustery day is forecast for Tuesday with a mix of bright spells and showers, some possibly wintry but generally of rain or hail.
