Storm Gareth will bring flying debris, large waves, power cuts and travel disruption, the Met Office has warned, after an already blustery start to Tuesday.
Forecasters have announced a yellow weather warning for Tuesday and Wednesday covering much of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland.
Highways England said officers were dealing with severe flooding on the northbound entry slip road to Charnock Richard services off the M6 in Lancashire, while a lane was closed on the M6 southbound near junction 33, at Hampson Green in Lancashire, because of a flood.
The Environment Agency said staff had been working through the night in Cumbria and Lancashire to monitor rain and river levels, the Press Association reports.
The M48 Severn Bridge has been closed to westbound traffic, flights from Cardiff to Edinburgh and Belfast have been delayed and ferry services Pembroke and Rosslare and Dublin and Holyhead have been affected.
There could be 50mm to 60mm of rainfall over higher ground in Cumbria and “severe gales” in the northwest.
The Met Office has predicted the winds will hit Northern Ireland at about 3pm on Tuesday, with a yellow warning for all of England and Wales and some parts of Scotland from 9pm.
The warnings remain in force until Wednesday.
Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “The strong north-westerly winds will also affect south-west Scotland late on Tuesday, spreading across much of England and Wales through Wednesday.
“Gusts of 50-55 mph are likely inland and up to 65 mph along western coasts. Winds will gradually ease during the afternoon.”
Gusts could even reach 80mph along northern coasts, the Met Office said.
A yellow weather warning for rain is also in place in parts of northern England on Thursday and Friday.
Meanwhile out on the high seas around Britain, a tweet from HMS Sutherland showed the affects the storm was having.
The storm, caused by a deep area of low pressure, was named by Met Eireann, the Irish weather service, and is the third named storm this year after Storm Erik in February and Freya earlier this month.