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Image source, Getty Images
Some exposed and coastal areas in Northern Ireland could see gusts reaching speeds of up to 70mph
By Barra Best
BBC News NI weather presenter
Emergency response and other agencies are monitoring the situation ahead of a yellow weather warning in Northern Ireland on Saturday.
The alert, which is in place between 08:00 BST and 22:00, was issued ahead of potentially damaging winds from Storm Kathleen.
It is likely to bring widespread gusts for most areas of between 50 to 60mph.
Some exposed and coastal areas could see gusts reaching speeds up to 70mph.
The Met Office has warned of possible travel disruption, power cuts, and a risk of injuries from large waves around the coast.
Stormont departments have advised people not to visit forests, country parks or nature reserves in the affected areas and to be careful when driving in case of high winds or debris.
Vehicle access to forests, including for caravanning and camping, is suspended for the duration of the weather warning.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,A woman runs from a crashing wave during Storm Eunice in February 2022 in Portstewart.
The Department for Infrastructure said on Friday that "multi-agency partners including the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland), NIE (Northern Ireland Electricity), the Department for Infrastructure and other emergency response and public sector organisations have met to prepare for Storm Kathleen".
Staff from all agencies are "making preparations to respond to any impacts", the department added.
It warned the weather conditions could lead to debris on roads, fallen trees and spray or large waves on exposed and vulnerable coastal areas.
Belfast City Council said that due to the weather conditions, all grass pitches at Victoria Park, Cherryvale, Wedderburn and Strangford will be closed.
The strongest winds are forecast to reach the south coast of Ireland early on Saturday morning before moving north.
As a result, a Status Orange weather warning has also been issued for Cork, Kerry, and Waterford from 07:00 until 14:00.
A second Status Orange warning lasts from 09:00 until 18:00 for Galway and Mayo.
A yellow warning has been issued for the rest of the Republic of Ireland between until 20:00.
Sunday will also be a windy day with widespread gusts of more than 65km/h (40mph).
Storm Kathleen is the 11th named storm of the season which runs from 1 September 2023 until 31 August 2024.
BBC News NI explains how the storm naming system works
It is also the first time storms have reached the letter K in the alphabet since Storm Katie in late March 2016.
Storm Jocelyn brought major disruption to the road network across Northern Ireland in January.
