Several counties hit with Status Orange warnings for flooding and ‘intense rain’

Six counties are affected by the Status Orange warnings.

The conditions come as Storm Austen is set to impact Ireland this week. Named by the UK Met Office on Tuesday morning (20 October), Met Éireann has said "a low-pressure system moving towards the UK and south of Ireland on Thursday and Friday will bring a spell of strong winds and rain."

On Wednesday morning (21 October), the Irish meteorological service issued the Orange rain warnings.

The first applies to Cork, Kerry, and Waterford and is scheduled from 10pm on Thursday (22 October) to 5am on Friday (23 October).

The second is for Dublin, Wexford, and Wicklow. It is set to last between 2am and 8am on the same Friday.

Both warnings read: "Intense rain associated with Storm Austen. Prepare for impacts: disruption and delays to public transport (rail, bus), flooding expected, very difficult travelling conditions."

On top of this, the Status Yellow warning previously issued for the Republic of Ireland has been upgraded. Now a "rain and wind" warning, it is scheduled to take effect from 7pm on Thursday to 10am on Friday.

The alert reads: "Heavy rain associated with Storm Austen will spread eastwards across the country.

"Strong easterly winds will back northwesterly and strengthen further, especially in the south and southeast.

"Be aware of potential impacts: Difficult travelling conditions; localised flooding possible; outdoor events impacted; debris, loose objects displaced; some fallen trees, branches."

The weekend is also expected to be rainy, showery, and windy, though there will be some sunshine too.

Dublin City Council has said it is making proactive preparations in advance of the forecast heavy rainfall associated with Storm Austen.

In a statement, the council confirmed its Flood Response Team has already put measures in place to respond quickly should localised flooding occur.

"As part of these preparations, crews are clearing fallen leaves and debris where necessary, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas, where drainage gullies can become obstructed during periods of heavy autumn rainfall," it said.

"Dublin City Council crews will be on the ground overnight monitoring conditions and responding to any issues that may arise."

The council said members of the public can help reduce the risk of localised flooding by:

• Avoiding parking over drainage gullies to allow water to drain freely
• Taking extra care when travelling during periods of heavy rainfall
• Reporting urgent flooding incidents or hazards outside normal working hours

Dublin City Council added that it will provide updates as necessary through its website and social media channels.

If you need assistance, you can contact Dublin City Council's emergency out-of-hours service on 01 222 2222.