Storm Ali is expected to have a greater impact across Scotland than predicted, the Met Office said this morning.

It has updated its amber wind warning for Storm Ali, saying there is now a high likelihood of "impacts", as well as extending the area it covers.

The warning, which covers Northern Ireland, northern parts of England and southern Scotland, will also now remain in place until 6pm on Wednesday, forecasters said.

A woman in the Republic of Ireland died after the caravan she was in was blown off a cliff in in Claddaghduff, County Galway, at about 7:45am.

The Met Office said debris could lead to injuries or pose a danger to life, while damage to buildings and travel disruption is likely.

Winds of 80mph could hit parts of Scotland putting lives at risk as the storm front sweeps across the country, forecasters have warned.

Historic Scotland announced that Edinburgh Castle has been closed due to high winds, one of a number of attractions affected. 

The Met Office earlier issued alerts warning of "danger to life" with an amber warning in place for central and southern Scotland, Strathclyde, Tayside and Fife while the rest of the country is covered by a yellow alert.

Forecasters warn that Storm Ali, the first named storm of the season, is expected to bring a very windy spell of weather with gusts of 65-75 mph inland and up to 80mph at times, particularly on high ground and in coastal areas.

They said flying debris is likely and could lead to injuries or danger to life, while there will probably be some damage to buildings. Travel is likely to be disrupted while there may also be power cuts.

Met office spokesman Grahame Madge said: "The whole of Scotland is affected to a greater or lesser extent. The amber warning covers central Scotland and up the east coast as far as Aberdeen, southern Scotland and up the west coast as far as Oban.

"It's going to be particularly windy and the impact we would expect would be flying debris, and with trees still in full leaf they are more vulnerable to toppling.

"Given the direction the winds are coming from west and north facing coasts could be subject to large waves and there is potential for disruption to transport."

The amber warning is in force between 8am and 6pm on Wednesday, with winds expected to ease from the west through the afternoon.

The whole of Scotland is covered by the yellow warning from 6am until 10pm on Wednesday, which warns that a spell of very windy weather will sweep the country with gusts of 50-60 mph possible inland.

A statment from Traffic Scotlandsaid that the National Traffic Control Centre will be providing updates on social media, website and radio broadcasts throughout the warning period.

Travellers are being asked to check the latest information before they set off. 

There are likely to be restrictions on bridges as a result of the conditions, especially for high sided vehicles. Air, ferry and rail travellers could also face delays and cancelations, so passengers should check with their operators ahead of time. 

The Herald:

A lorry overturned on the Forth Road Bridge last year in bad weather

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson said:

“The Met Office is telling us the southern half of Scotland in particular is going to see some difficult weather tomorrow as a result of Storm Ali. More generally, the whole of the country is going to see blustery conditions throughout Wednesday.

“The strongest winds are expected to reach 75mph in some places, and will likely bring some heavy rainfall with them.

“There is the potential for disruption on the roads, especially on bridges, and people should check the latest information before they set off, drive to the conditions and follow Police advice.

"The Traffic Scotland service gives details of ‘wind based’ closures for the bridges on trunk road network, allowing people to plan ahead accordingly.

“The conditions are also likely to lead to disruption on other modes of transport, so we are urging people to take the weather into account if they are planning to travel on trains, ferries and flights.

“The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) will also be active throughout Wednesday to monitor wider impacts of Storm Ali and to work with partners in helping co-ordinate the response to any issues that might emerge.”

The Herald:

Head of Road Policing, Chief Superintendent Stewart Carle, added: "If you are driving a vehicle which may be vulnerable to being blown over in such conditions along exposed routes including bridges, please exercise additional caution and plan your route to avoid exposed areas or consider cancelling your journey until conditions improve.

"Previous incidents have clearly shown the dangers of driving vehicles vulnerable to being blown over in high wind conditions and the subsequent danger created for other road users, emergency services and recovery operatives where incidents have occurred due to drivers ignoring warnings."