Ferries, flights and trains have been canceled as Storm Ashley hits the UK and yellow and amber weather warnings are in place throughout Sunday.

A yellow warning for strong winds with gusts of up to 60 mph (97 km/h) is in effect until midnight across Scotland, as well as Northern Ireland and some coastal parts of Wales.

Strong winds are expected to affect the north, east and much of southern Scotland until 9am on Monday.

A Yellow warning covers for strong winds Gusts of 70-81 mph (113-130 km/h) were recorded in some western areas of Scotland and the north and west of Northern Ireland.

The yellow warning lasts until midnight in Scotland and 8pm in Northern Ireland.

The Met Office reported that the strongest recorded wind gust was 81 mph (130 km/h) in Killowen, Northern Ireland, followed by 75 mph (120 km/h) in Capel Curig, Wales, and 70 mph (113 km/h) in Tiree the Western Isles in Scotland.

Stronger gusts were recorded in mountain locations, including winds of 102 mph (164 km/h) at Scotland's Cairngorm weather station, which is 1,237 m (4,058 ft) above sea level.

A yellow weather warning means there is a potential threat to life and property.

A yellow warning means weather is likely to cause disruption.

The storm also poses the possibility of travel delays and road and rail closures.

Dozens of flights were canceled at Belfast City Airport and Dublin Airport, with Aer Lingus flights particularly affected.

Belfast City Airport urged passengers to check the status of their flight with the airline before heading to the airport.

Ferry operator CalMac has canceled almost all Sunday sailings on the west coast of Scotland and suspended services to the islands of Arran, Bute, Lewis and Harris.

It warned that further services could be canceled at short notice on Monday. Passengers are encouraged to do so Check the status of your ferry ahead of time.

Western Ferries, which operates the Dunoon-Gourock route, Church services were also stopped on Sunday evening due to deteriorating conditions.

P&O Ferries said Sunday sailings between Larne in Northern Ireland and Cairnryan in southwest Scotland have also been cancelled.

In Argyll the A83 Rest And Be Thankful was closed but the alternative route along the Old Military Road was opened instead.

A warning has been issued that if there is an increase in wind speed The Tay Road Bridge would also have to be closed.

Some trains in Scotland have been canceled and speed restrictions apply on many routes.

Services between Barrhead and Kilmarnock have been stopped, delayed or changed after a tree fell on the railway.

Network Rail has suspended services between Kilwinning and Largs/Ardrossan due to waves pouring over the sea wall at Saltcoats and reaching overhead wires. A replacement bus service was set up.

The northern railway line between Dundee and Aberdeen was temporarily closed due to flooding near Aberdeen, but has since reopened.

There will be speed limits for trains Until Monday morning for services in the Western and Northern Highlands, Ayrshire, Stranraer and between Perth and Inverness.

Train operator ScotRail gave advice to travelers and urged them to check whether their services were still running.

The company warned that traffic could be affected by trees and debris on the route Monday morning.

Transport Scotland spokesman Danny Chalmers told BBC News that people should be on “high alert” and that travel disruption was expected in all areas due to the weather warning.

He said that “people may not be used to driving in these very, very windy conditions.”

“If there are gusts of 80mph there will obviously be a significant impact on ferries and speed restrictions on rail and bridges. Police Scotland have made it very clear that there will be an impact on traffic.”

Flood Warnings – meaning flooding is expected – were also issued by Britain's environmental regulators.

In Northern Ireland, thousands of homes were without power due to strong winds.

Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) Networks said its teams were working to repair damage and restore power.

Power had been restored to about 2,000 homes, but about 4,000 customers were still without power Sunday evening.

NIE Networks warned Sunday evening that the ongoing storm could lead to further power outages, particularly in coastal areas.

The Met Office had said there was a high risk of power outages in the amber warning area, which stretches from Argyll to Cape Wrath in the north and covers many of the country's island communities.

Some events were canceled due to the storm, including the Enchanted Forest light show in Pitlochry on Sunday evening.

In England the Great South Run was canceled on Sunday. The 10-mile race in Portsmouth has been canceled after organizers said they could not run the event safely due to the weather.

Meteorologists say Storm Ashley, the first named storm of the season, experienced a rapid drop in pressure as it moved in from the Atlantic on Saturday evening – a phenomenon dubbed a “weather bomb.”

The expression is taken from the US term “bombogenesis”, which describes a pressure drop of at least 24 millibars within 24 hours.

Storm Ashley will have a lot to offer in terms of wind strength.

The timing of this storm will also increase its impact. Current high tides due to the full moon are increasing the risk of coastal flooding and disruption.

At this early point in the season, many trees are still full of leaves, increasing the likelihood that they will be damaged or even fall over by the strong winds.

And in many cases, patio furniture and toys are still outside – so make sure anything that could be blown away is secured.

The strongest winds are expected to occur on Sunday and continue into the evening and early part of the night.

On Monday it will still be very windy, especially in the north, but the wind will slowly decrease as the day progresses. Tuesday and Wednesday seem to be quieter days.