Storm Brendan: Areas of Scotland to be affected by strong winds and flooding

The Met Office has warned mainland and island coastlines are likely to be affected the most by torrential rain and hurricane-force winds as tides and rivers are expected to reach high levels.

The areas currently at risk in Scotland include: Orkney, Shetland, Skye and Lochaber, West Central Scotland, Wester Ross, Western Isles, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City, Argyll and Bute, Ayrshire and Arran, Caithness and Sutherland, Dumfries and Galloway, Spey Viaduct to Spey Bay, Easter Ross, Great Glen, Fife and Innerpeffray to Bridge of Earn.

Yellow weather warnings are in place for the north east of Scotland, Northern Ireland, much of the western half of the UK from 12pm on Monday to midnight.

Storm Brendan: Areas of Scotland to be affected by strong winds and flooding

Frank Saunders, of the Met Office, said the UK and Ireland will turn increasingly windy throughout Monday as the storm, named by Irish forecaster Met Eireann, sweeps in.

He said: "It's going to be windy across the western half of the UK, with gusts reaching 60-70mph along Irish Sea coastlines, the west of Scotland and perhaps some English Channel coasts - maybe even 80mph in a few exposed places."

Mr Saunders added the severe conditions could cause travel disruption, and those in affected areas are advised to take extra care when driving on exposed routes such as bridges or high open roads.

Looking further ahead to the rest of next week, he said: "It looks like it's going to stay very unsettled with the potential for further disruptive weather in places."

On Saturday, strong winds and heavy rain battered parts of Scotland, causing road closures and rail disruption.

The main A1 road from the English border up to the Edinburgh area was closed to high-sided vehicles for several hours.