What remains of Hurricane Katia is set to batter Northern Ireland later today; the Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for much of the UK. The amber warning advises that, in Northern Ireland and Scotland in particular, exposed areas could see winds of 75mph.

Coastal areas of Northern Ireland are expected to experience gale-force winds from Midday today. Scotland and Northern England are expected to feel the effects between today and tomorrow; farmers are being warned to expect heavy rains and strong winds in both areas, especially exposed regions.  

A Met Office spokesperson said, "The remains of Hurricane Katia are expected to come across the UK on Monday bringing a spell of very windy weather, with increasing indications that Scotland and Northern Ireland are most likely to bear the brunt the warning has been upgraded to amber here.

"The public should be aware of the risk of disruption to transport and of the possibility of damage to trees and structures."

The Scottish Government has issued a statement detailing plans to keep abreast of any disruption the weather causes. Transport Minister Keith Brown said, "Some strong winds and heavy rain are forecast for Monday and Tuesday, and forecasts suggest travel conditions are likely to be difficult.

"A great deal of work is already well underway to ensure Scotland is prepared for any potential disruption. This afternoon I've convened a meeting of the Scottish Government's Resilience Room, where I've been updated on the steps being taken by utilities, transport providers, police and others to make sure Scotland keeps moving."

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The "high impact" weather system would be the first hurricane to hit the UK since August 1986 when Hurricane Charley brought torrential rain to Wales and parts of central and Northern England. The Met Office’s forecast for Monday to Wednesday shows conditions are likely to be “Very windy, with blustery showers and spells of rain. Gales are likely widely, with the strongest winds towards the northwest. Becoming drier into Wednesday, with winds slowly easing later.”

A video detailing the progress of Hurricane Katia was released by the Met Office on Friday