LIVE: Terrifying Storm Éowyn twist with 200km/h hurricane winds to hit six counties

The latest weather models have predicted terrifying 200km/h wind gusts for up to six counties in the early hours of Friday morning as Met Éireann updates its warnings.

The hurricane-level winds could hit parts of coastal Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Galway, Mayo and Donegal, according to Ireland Weather Channel forecaster Cathal Nolan.

Met Éireann has already issued Status Red warnings for the entire country, predicting a "danger to life storm" that will cause widespread damage and disruption to travel, business and public services. Huge numbers of power outages are expected across the country.

The red warning for Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Waterford is in place from 2am to 10am on Friday; Clare and Galway will be under a red warning from 3am to 11am; Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo are in the red warning zone from 4am to 12pm; Cavan, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow, Roscommon, Tipperary have a red warning from 6am to 11am; while Donegal's red warning is in force from 7am to 2pm on Friday.

In an update on Thursday night, Cathal Nolan said: "I just wanted to focus briefly on a couple of areas in particular which I feel will experience the full force of Storm Éowyn, receiving hurricane force winds and seeing possibly record-breaking strong winds of up to 220KM/H for a period tonight [Thursday] and into the morning.

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"Phenomenal winds of 200KM/H are possible along exposed coastal areas of West Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Galway, Mayo and Donegal throughout the warning periods.

In those areas, Cathal says "widespread structural damage to buildings and electrical supplies are likely with life-threatening conditions for a number of hours."

He added: "These winds will also filter into more Midland, Midwest, and later Ulster with counties such as Roscommon, Longford, Cavan, Westmeath, Sligo, Leitrim, Fermanagh, Tyrone, parts of Offaly and into Monaghan.

"Here winds of up to 160KM/H are very possible with significant damage."

He concluded: "All other counties will experience significant damage also. However, I feel the damage to the highlighted areas will be particularly acute with winds in these areas reaching the same speeds as that of a category 2 hurricane. This is not an ordinary storm. Please stay in and stay safe."