The Met Office has issued an unusual red weather warning for wind as Storm Darragh approaches.
The warning is in effect from 03:00 to 11:00 GMT on Saturday, covering the coastal regions of west and south Wales and the Bristol Channel in England.
Yellow wind warnings are in place for the UK on Friday, with amber warnings covering Northern Ireland, Wales and the west coast of England on Saturday morning.
Red weather warnings are the most serious type of warning.
The Met Office only issues them when meteorologists believe severe, potentially life-threatening weather is imminent.
Areas under a red warning are forecast wind gusts of 90mph (144kmph) or more, which could lead to flying debris and falling trees, posing a risk to life, the Met Office added.
The winds are also expected to cause large waves, power outages affecting cellphone services, and damage to buildings and homes. Transport networks are also expected to be affected.
Heavy rain and strengthening winds will be felt in parts of the western UK from late Friday.
This weather pattern will turn into Storm Darragh by Saturday.
The Met Office said the strong winds would ease late on Saturday morning, but it would remain very windy until the evening, with amber warnings in place until then.
A yellow rain warning, which indicates the risk of flooding, is also in place for parts of the western UK.
In northern Scotland, a yellow snow warning is in place, with hills above 400m (1,300ft) high up to 20cm (8in) of snow. Snow will affect elevated sections of the A9 and A83 and may cause disruption and possible closures.
The Irish Meteorological Service has also issued a red wind warning from 22:00 on Friday for parts of counties Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo.
The storm has caused some disruption, with wind damage to overhead wires closing rail lines between Leeds and Wakefield Westgate.
National Rail said trains could be cancelled, delayed or diverted and urged users to check their journeys before departure.
In Staffordshire, strong winds are reported to have brought down dozens of trees and closed roads.
People on social media reported that branches hit buildings including a church. Others described what they saw as a “tornado”.
Several events have also been canceled this weekend, including the Enchanted Winter Garden at Antrim Castle, Northern Ireland, and Christmas events across England including Shropshire, Cambridge and Cornwall.
The RAC advised motorists to postpone their journeys.
Spokeswoman Alice Simpson told the BBC: “The exposed rural and coastal routes will be very treacherous.
“Drivers in these areas must be careful of cars traveling on high sides because they are at risk of being hit off the road or worse, being blown up.”
Storm Darragh is the fourth named storm of the year, following Ashley, Bert and Conall.
Parts of the UK are still recovering from Storm Bert, which caused severe flooding and killed five people in November.
Scientists say that as the Earth’s climate warms, extreme weather events will become more common. For every 1C rise in average temperature, the atmosphere can hold up to about 7% more moisture.
Globally, heavy rain events have become more frequent and intense in many parts of the world, according to the UN’s weather agency, which says the pattern will increase with continued warming.
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