EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the stories you need to know as you start your day.

1. #OPHELIA: A status red weather warning is in place as Ireland prepares for Storm Ophelia. Met Éireann is warning that the storm is likely to be the most severe weather event to hit the country in over 50 years. Keep up to date with TheJournal.ie Liveblog throughout the day.

 2. #STAY SAFE: People across the country have been advised to remain safe and vigilant. Authorities have repeatedly warned that this hurricane is a life-threatening event. Here’s a quick guide to everything you need to know.

3. #TRAVEL DISRUPTIONS: There will be significant travel disruptions throughout the day, with Bus Éireann cancelling ALL services from 5am to 2pm. Dublin Bus will operate as normal for peak times tomorrow but expects severe disruption between 9am and 6pm – which may involve no service at all on some routes.

4.#LIGHTS OUT: Thousands of homes are without power in Cork, Killarney and Galway as Storm Ophelia makes landfall.

5.#SUPERMARKET SWEEP: There were chaotic scenes in Tesco stores around the country last night as people stocked up ahead of Ophelia making landfall, reports TheDailyEdge.ie.

6. #CONGRATS: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has congratulated Sebastian Kurz as exit polls show his People’s Party has won around 31.5% of the vote in Austria’s general election.

7.#CARRY CUP: A new poll carried out by TheJournal.ie/RTE’s Claire Byrne Live reveals that Ireland would support a ban on single-use disposable coffee cups.

8.#HOSPITALS: The HSE is developing an app that aims to inform patients on how busy Emergency Departments are around the country by listing the average and maximum waiting times to be triaged.

9. #ANTRIM: Police in Northern Ireland are investigating the death of an 11-year-old boy in Antrim who they believe may have been attacked by a German Shepherd dog.