A powerful "bomb cyclone" named Storm Éowyn (pronounced AY-oh-win) will pummel parts of Ireland and the United Kingdom with fierce winds and heavy rainfall on Friday, and it has roots in the historic winter storm that just hit the U.S. Gulf Coast Tuesday.

An enormous bomb cyclone will slam Ireland late Thursday, bringing intense rain and wind on its way to delivering a separate blow to the United Kingdom. Damaging winds are expected across a wide swath of the region.

Millions of people in Ireland and northern parts of the U.K. have heeded the advice of authorities to stay at home