A rare “stay at home” warning has been issued for parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland as a severe storm lashes the region, bringing dangerous 100mph (160 kmh) winds and unleashing travel chaos.

A​ powerful "bomb cyclone" named Storm Éowyn (pronounced AY-oh-win) has pummeled parts of Ireland and the United Kingdom with fierce winds and heavy rainfall today, and it has roots in the historic winter storm that just hit the U.

Follow live as Storm Eowyn hits the UK and Ireland, with record-breaking winds already reported. The entire country is covered by alerts for wind and rare red weather warnings have been issued for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

An enormous bomb cyclone will slam Ireland late Thursday, bringing intense rain and wind on its way to delivering a separate blow to the United Kingdom. Damaging winds are expected across a wide swath of the region.

(LONDON) -- A massive storm is battering parts of the U.K. and Ireland today, bringing devastating winds, heavy rain and snow, according to the Met Office, the United Kingdom’s national weather and climate service.

As the United Kingdom braces for Storm Éowyn, Met Office maps show exactly where the strongest winds will hit.

Follow live as Storm Eowyn hits the UK and Ireland, with record-breaking winds already reported. The entire country is covered by alerts for wind and rare red weather warnings have been issued for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Some 4.5million people will get an emergency alert at 6pm after the Met Office issued a rare 'red alert' warning ahead of Storm Eowyn hitting parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland

A fierce bomb cyclone headed to Ireland and the United Kingdom could produce wind gusts over 80 mph. Here's what else to expect.