Batten down the hatches! Status orange Storm Eleanor arrives today

As the entire country prepares to ease back into work after the Christmas holidays, it seems the Irish weather has a different idea.

The mild but chilly weather has made way for a status orange weather alert courtesy of Storm Eleanor.

The orange alert is in place for Leinster, Munster and Galway, with a status yellow alert for the rest of the country.

The storm will be responsible for 130km/ph winds which began battering the country this morning.

'Southwest to west winds of mean speeds 65 to 80 km/h, gusting to 110 to 130 km/h are expected' say Met Eireann.

A wind warning is in place for Dublin, Galway, Clare, Carlow, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Wicklow, Offaly, Westmeath, Meath, Limerick and Tipperary.

The storm is set to move off into the Atlantic later this afternoon, but conditions will remain stormy until 9pm tonight when the weather warning is due to be lifted.