Scotland is bracing itself for more bad weather after Storm Ophelia claimed three lives in Ireland.

Weather warnings greeted drivers in Central, Tayside and Fife, Strathclyde, south west Scotland and Lothian and Borders as the remnants of the hurricane brought high winds and heavy rain to those areas.

The yellow warnings mean commuters should plan for more possible travel delays and disruption ahead of the storm which killed three inn Ireland.

Scotland experienced widespread disruption with flights and ferries cancelled as the storm brought gusts of up to 80mph.

Both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports advised customers to check with their airline before going to the airport.

Flybe cancelled 170 flights including all those to and from Scotland.

In Dumfries and Galloway a number of towns and villages are reported to be without power.

At Castle Douglas the roof of the Scout Hall was blown off at Blackpark and landed on top of a nearby church.

A Met Office spokesman said the strongest winds could last into the morning’s busy travel period across the Central Belt.

Earlier yesterday, a woman died when her car was struck by a falling tree close to the village of Aglish in Waterford, Ireland, while a man was also killed by a falling tree in Dundalk, County Louth.

A third man died in a chainsaw accident as he tried to remove a fallen tree in Cahir, County Tipperary.

Ireland saw the worst of the storm, with hundreds of thousands of homes left without power as high winds ripped through the country, leaving widespread damage in its wake.

The UK was also battered with torrential rain and winds of up to 80mph, with travellers were left stranded as flights and ferries were cancelled and bridges were shut.

The remnants of the hurricane, which came exactly 30 years after the Great Storm of 1987 killed 18 people, prompted warnings of “potential for injuries and danger to life” from the Met Office.

Forecasters warned of flying debris, such as tiles blown from roofs, as well as large waves around coastal districts with beach material being thrown on to coastal roads, sea fronts and properties.

Luke Miall, from the Met Office, said that while storms with these wind speeds tend to happen at this time of year, Storm Ophelia was “quite a substantial system”, adding that he would describe it as “pretty exceptional”.

In Ireland, Met Eireann issued a “status red” weather alert for Galway, Mayo, Clare, Cork and Kerry and schools and colleges were closed throughout the country.

According to the Electricity Supply Board, more than 360,000 properties were also left without power.

The woman who was killed was driving with her mother at around 11.40am on Monday when the tree fell on the car and came in through the windscreen.

The motorist, in her 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene, while her mother, in her 70s, was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Another man was also killed by a falling tree while driving in Ravensdale, Dundalk, at around 2.45pm, while the man who was killed in a chainsaw incident was attempting to clear a fallen tree at around 12.30pm.

The storm travelled from Ireland across the UK on Monday afternoon, with weather and flood warnings issued in many areas.

In Wales, around 200 properties suffered power cuts and a number of schools closed early, while bridges were also closed to high-sided vehicles.

A number of flights were also cancelled, including at Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, with travellers advised to check with their airline before going to the airport.

The RNLI also warned people to stay away from the sea during the extreme weather.

Matt Crofts, lifesaving manager, said seas are “particularly dangerous and unpredictable, with large waves and swells being a major risk”.

“Stormy conditions may be tempting to watch but big waves can easily knock you off your feet,” he added.

“We understand why people want to experience extreme weather but it’s not worth risking your life, so we strongly urge people to respect the water and watch from a safe distance.”

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) added that it had three battalions, 1,200 personnel in total, on standby to assist with contingencies should its assistance be needed.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “On Storm Ophelia, the Prime Minister expressed her sympathies for the loss of life and said the UK Government stood ready to provide any support if requested.”