Record high winds from Storm Eowyn battered Ireland and Northern Ireland on Friday, leaving 560,000 homes and businesses without power and forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights and the closure of schools and public transport.

Ireland has been hit with record wind gusts of 114 miles (183 kilometers) an hour as a winter storm batters the country and northern parts of the U.K.

Red warnings for wind cover the entirety of Ireland and parts of Scotland as the storm brings staggering winds posing a danger to life. Trains and flights across the UK face cancellation or disruption and schools have been closed.

Status Red weather warnings are now active right across the island of Ireland as the country battles Storm Eowyn's hurricane force winds. More than 500,000 people are without power with more outages expected throughout the day.

Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland are braced for one of the most intense storms in decades, with forecasters warning of extremely rare hurricane force winds and a danger to life

A wind speed of 183kmh (114mph) brought by Storm Eowyn has been recorded in Ireland, the fastest since records began, Irish forecaster Met Eireann said. Residents across Ireland and Northern Ireland have been urged to stay at home as the storm sweeps across the island. In Co Down a gust of 92mph has been recorded this morning.

Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland are braced for a storm spiraling in from the Atlantic, bringing gusts of up to 100 m.p.h., with forecasters warning of a danger to life.

The storm had knocked out power to more than half a million utility customers by early Friday as it moved across Ireland.