Scotland is braced for severe gales as the remnants of Hurricane Katia hit.
The Met Office has issued an amber alert, warning of disruption to commuters and the possibility of damage to trees and structures.
The strongest winds are expected in west central Scotland, and through the central belt, peaking mid to late afternoon.
Gusts could reach 60 to 70mph, and up to 80mph over exposed coastal areas and hills.
Northern Ireland and parts of northern England are also expected to take a battering.
The Met office said it was an unusually early storm for Scotland, which meant there was a greater risk of uprooted trees since they still had leaves on them.
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End Quote Keith Brown Transport MinisterRobust contingency arrangements are in place so people should not panic but we should be prepared"
This risk has been heightened by a period of wet weather, which has left the soil very wet.
Central belt weather could be exacerbated by the south westerly direction of the wind, which could cause a funnel effect through the area retaining considerable force.
Heavy rain will be an additional hazard for western Scotland, with as much as 50mm to 100mm in places, forecasters said.
The rain is expected to be particularly heavy in the hills of Lochaber, northern Argyll and the southern end of the north west Highlands.
The centre of the depression is forecast to pass over Lewis and then Shetland.
This should mean these areas escape the worst of the weather as they will be in the eye of the storm.
A Met Office spokesman said: "The public should be prepared for the risk of disruption to transport and of the possibility of damage to trees and structures."
Travel conditionsTransport Minister Keith Brown said work was under way to ensure Scotland was prepared for any potential disruption.
The minister convened a meeting of the Scottish government's resilience room on Sunday, where he was updated by utilities, transport providers, and police.
He said: "Transport Scotland's multi agency response team has been activated and will be up-and-running before rush hour.
"Extra power and transport staff are being moved in to areas likely to be affected, and utility companies are contacting their priority customers."
He said forecasts suggested travel conditions were likely to be difficult with some disruption to roads, rail and ferry services.
He added that with high winds and heavy rain expected to peak later in the day, commuters were advised to leave work early if possible.
"Robust contingency arrangements are in place so people should not panic but we should be prepared," he said.
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