Waves of 52ft were recorded and power was cut to more than 30,000 homes as a "weather bomb" rolled across the UK.
As well as disruption to energy supplies, the severe storm led to ferry and train cancellations, and school closures.
The Met Office has issued amber "be prepared" weather alerts for western Scotland, the Highlands, Northern Ireland, Orkney and Shetland and Strathclyde regions.
Yellow weather warnings have also been issued across England's South East, South West, North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humber, as well as in northern Wales and several other areas.
Waves 52ft high - measured as "phenomenal" on the Douglas Sea Scale - have been recorded off the Outer Hebrides.
Gale-force gusts of more than 80mph also struck some northern coastal areas.
Off the coast of Orkney, a rescue operation was launched to help a British-registered fishing vessel which issued a Mayday call after getting into difficulties.
The 33ft trawler, with 16 Spanish crew, had one of its bridge windows smashed and some equipment damaged in the stormy conditions.
The O'Genita is being escorted to Westray in Orkney by the Stromness lifeboat.
And 20 vehicles had to be freed after becoming stuck in icy conditions on Cairn O' Mount, a high mountain pass, in Aberdeenshire.
Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution (SHEPD) engineers said at lunchtime it had restored power to more than 27,000 homes, but that 4,200 customers remained cut-off.
Rodney Grubb, head of operations for SHEPD, said: "We knew the bad weather was coming and we meticulously prepared for it with hundreds of additional staff."
Gale force winds have also battered the northern coast of Ireland. The counties of Donegal, Londonderry and Antrim have been the worst hit.
Power shortages have been reported on both sides of the border, and ferry travel to Scotland has been disrupted, with a number of sailings cancelled or delayed.
The extreme conditions are being caused by rapid cyclogenesis - known colloquially as a "weather bomb" - a deep low pressure system moving slowly eastwards between Scotland and Iceland.
Sky News Weather Presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "Scotland, northern England, Northern Ireland and the north of the Republic are today experiencing very stormy conditions, with strong gusty winds and large waves, posing problems for both rush hours and ferry crossings.
"The heavy showers in the north could also produce some hail and thunder, as well as snow across hills and mountains.
"With the strong gusty winds, this could mean drifting and blizzard conditions as well."
More southerly areas of the UK are likely to be hit by a second storm due to roll in from the Atlantic on Thursday night.
Dr Steven Godby, an expert in natural hazards at Nottingham Trent University, said: "Infamous examples of 'weather bombs' include the storm that wreaked havoc during the August 1979 Fastnet yacht race, claiming the lives of 15 competitors, and the 1991 Perfect Storm off the north east coast of the United States."
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