MORE than 30 flood warnings and alerts are in place across Scotland as high winds, rain and waves threatened to flood dozens of homes.
Largs in North Ayrshire was expected to bear the brunt of high waves along the Clyde coast with flooding also due in Argyll and Bute, including Helensburgh and Oban. The gales were being predicted to reach 90mph in some parts.
The Atlantic depression combined with torrential rain was also threatening to leave properties washed out along the Clyde with three flood warnings in Dumbarton.
There were also warnings in the exposed Cove Road in Gourock and another in Greenock and Port Glasgow. Renfrew was facing a risk of flood.
People out and about in Glasgow and Edinburgh also had to care care as high gusts were reported.
The west was expected to be worst affected with the public warned to be prepared for disruption to transport and possibly power outages.
Alerts were also in place in Dumfries and Galloway, where there were mounting fears the River Nith would flood shops and bars in the Whitesands area of Dumfries.
Police Scotland urged motorists to drive carefully if venturing out in Ayrshire, Argyll & Bute, Western Isles and the north-west. Lane restrictions were in place on the Erskine Bridge. The strong winds had come north up the coast of Northern Ireland and into north west Scotland.
More than 2,000 households had no electricity in Northern Ireland.
In Cumbria, 2,500 properties were left without power in Cumbria and Lancashire. The A595 at Moota, Cumbria, was shut after the roof was blown off a hotel.
A 23-year-old woman died from her injuries after a tree fell on her car in gales in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland.
The bad weather comes as thousands of people prepare to travel to their families on Friday for Christmas.
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