Met Éireann is forecasting that hurricane Ophelia will turn into a post-tropical storm as it approaches Ireland on Monday, bringing severe winds and stormy conditions.

The red weather warning apples to counties Galway, Mayo, Clare, Cork and Kerry from 9am on Monday to 3am on Tuesday.

Mean wind speeds in excess of 80km/h and gusts in excess of 130km/h are expected, potentially causing structural damage and disruption, with dangerous marine conditions due to high seas and potential flooding.

Rest of the country

In the rest of the country, a status orange warning is in place from 9am on Monday until 3am on Tuesday. Met Éireann is forecasting mean wind speeds between 65km/h and 80km/h with gusts between 110km/h and 130km/h. While the storm may not be as sever inland, it still has potential to cause structural damage and disruption as well as potential flooding nationwide.

The UK Met Office has issued a status yellow warning for Northern Ireland and the west coast of Britain. "Power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage," the office warned. "Some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs could happen, perhaps leading to injuries and danger to life from flying debris. Coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities may be affected by spray and/or large waves."

There is now generally high confidence that the centre of this system will track close to and possibly even over some parts of the west coast of Ireland

Irish meteorologists have been working with their counterparts in the US and the UK to track the storm's progress through the Atlantic.

"The latest information from our colleagues in the National Hurricane Centre in Miami indicates that Ophelia will become a powerful post-tropical cyclone (from thereon in ex-hurricane Ophelia) by Monday, and there is now generally high confidence that the centre of this system will track close to and possibly even over some parts of the west coast of Ireland," Met Éireann said in a statement.

While the most damaging winds are forecast near the centre of the storm and in coastal counties, the heaviest rainfall will come from clouds rotating around it. Large waves may lead to coastal flooding.

Met Éireann will update warnings as required as the storm approaches.

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‘High-impact’ Hurricane Ophelia on track to hit Ireland