Met Eireann has extended its Status Red weather warning to the entire country ahead of what is expected to be one of the most severe storms in living memory. Storm Eowyn is currently brewing in the Atlantic and is due to make landfall in Ireland on Thursday night.

Storm Éowyn has the "potential to be very destructive," Met Éireann said while issuing its Status Red weather warnings. Check here for the Status Red, Status Yellow, and Status Orange weather warnings coming into effect for Ireland this week.

A rare, red warning has also been issued by Ireland's weather service across all counties ahead of the arrival of Storm Eowyn, saying it will bring "severe, damaging and destructive gusts".

In its most recent update, Met Eireann has issued a 'Danger to Life' Status Red warning for parts of the country on Friday morning. The extremely rare weather alert applies to counties Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick and is valid between 3am and 10am on Friday.

Britain is set to be battered by winds of up to 90mph from Storm Eowyn as the Met Office warned of a danger to life in parts of the country over the next few days. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The warnings come into effect at slightly different times but all schools will shut across the country on Friday for the duration of the red alerts

Ireland is braced for Storm Eowyn bringing 'danger to life' conditions, with Status Red warnings now issued for 22 counties. It comes as an update has been issued on school closures.

The UK Met Office has chosen the name Éowyn for the storm system brewing out in the Atlantic - and it could be a very bad one for Ireland and our neighbours with damaging gusts likely on Friday. Both Irish and UK meterologists are now closely tracking the low pressure system that the Met Office says will lead to travel disruption,