THE public have been warned to brace for strengthening winds and lashing rain as Storm Franklin moves in overnight.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning for wind which could cause a “risk to life” in Northern Ireland until 7am, while a milder yellow wind warning covers England, Wales and south-western Scotland from midday until 1pm.

Environment agencies have issued hundreds of alerts for flooding across the UK, including two rare “severe” warnings where rainfall could also pose a “danger to life” for communities along the River Mersey in Greater Manchester.

This comes after huge waves were seen crashing onto coastal areas, homes were destroyed by strong winds, and emergency services deployed flood defences along swelling riverbanks on Sunday.

Train operators have warned customers to “avoid travel if possible” on Monday as services are expected to be paralysed by gale-force winds and lashing rain.

Were will Storm Franklin hit?

Weather tacker, Windy, is able to tell us exactly when Storm Franklin will hit certain parts of the UK.

By scrolling through the timeline bar at the bottom of the screen you can find when the storm will hit your area.

'Avoid travel if possible' amid Storm Franklin

National Rail has warned anyone making essential journeys once services resume to expect “major disruption” to routes “across most of Great Britain” – including cancellations, delays and slower speeds onboard.

This comes after the Met Office issued an amber wind warning for Northern Ireland and a milder yellow wind warning for much of the rest of the UK as Storm Franklin moves in.

The forecaster warned that the south of the country will be particularly hard-hit by stormy weather during the morning rush hour.