Brace yourself: Hurricane Ophelia to reach Ireland tomorrow as winds of up to 130kmh are expected

It's time to batten down the hatches as Met Eireann have issued a warning that the incoming storm, which will be the remnants of Hurricane Ophelia, could be the worst storm to hit the country for more than half a century.

The weather specialists have compared the storm to that of Debbie, a 1961 cyclone that resulted in the deaths of 15 people in Ireland as record winds battered the country.

Hurricane Ophelia was upgraded to a Category 3 storm yesterday as it made its way past the Azores and moves towards Ireland, with the effects of the storm set to be felt on these shores on Monday. "The track is pretty much consistent now. These things can take on a life of their own but it certainly has the potential to be similar [to Debbie]," explained Pat Clarke of Met Eireann.

While the weather is expected to bring wind and rain on Atlantic shores today, it is expected to turn much worse tomorrow morning. Met Eireann have issued a Red Weather Warning to counties Cork, Kerry, Clare, Mayo and Galway, while an Orange Weather Warning has been issued for Kildare and the rest of the country.

Some schools on western coasts have been advised to close, while Bus Eireann will not be operating their school bus service in any county with a Red Weather Warning. Winds of up to 130kmh are expected to sweep through counties on the Atlantic coast, and there is a chance that there could be some structural damage caused to buildings as a result.