Storm Boelo latest: ‘Damage to homes’ expected as new orange warnings issued for this weekend

Main Points

• Several new weather warnings have been issued ahead of Storm Boelo this weekend, which is due a day after Storm Austen
• Met Éireann warned commuters of very difficult travelling conditions, possible disruption to public transport and possible flooding due to Storm Austen this morning.
• The ESB has reported 3,000 properties are without power amid the storm. Bus Éireann has cancelled a number of services.
• An orange warning for counties Waterford, Cork and Kerry was lifted at 5am on Friday, while an orange warning for Wicklow, Wexford and Dublin was lifted at 8am.
• A status-yellow rain and wind warning for Leinster and Munster was in force until 10am on Friday.
• The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management has also warned of potential flooding and difficult travel conditions due to Storm Austen.

Key Reads

• As it happened: Friday’s live coverage of Storm Austen weather warnings
• Storm Austen: Council staff on industrial action to carry out emergency work as needed
• Is Ireland ready for a monster El Nino?

More than 30 fallen trees across roads and footpaths in Co Waterford

Waterford Council ground crews have so far tended to over thirty incidents of fallen trees blocking roads and footpaths, while Waterford Fire Service have attended four sites with fallen trees, reports Darragh Murphy.

Gabriel Hynes, Director of Services with Waterford City and County Council said this morning, “The worst of Storm Austen has passed, and thankfully the impact was not as serious as it could have been.

“Our outdoor crews and Fire Service were on the ground since before light attending to fallen trees, blocked roads and paths and dealing with flooding issues.”

Maria Goff, Senior Executive Engineer with Waterford Council, said at a meeting with elected members this morning that the Council will continue to assist locals where possible. 

Some outdoor events cancelled in Kerry ahead of Storm Boele

There is now an orange alert for rain Saturday morning - even as the cleanup from Storm Austen is underway in road clearing, Anne Lucey reports.

Storm Boleo will see a number of outdoor events cancelled; possible closure of parks and very difficult driving conditions between 7am and 2pm.

Rivers are already swollen from Austen and the expectation is there will be a further accumulation of water. Winds are also expected to be high and coasts will be dangerous.

Video Dodder weir at Rathfarnham following Storm Austen rainfall, by Nick Bradshaw

Rain to clear eastwards, dry tonight before Storm Boele arrives

Met Éireann has forecast the rain in the east of the country will clear through the morning, while sunshine and scattery, blustery showers will feature for the rest of the country with temperatures of 8 to 12 degrees throughout.

Tonight will be mostly dry, with some isolated showers on the west coast.

Cloud will build from the west with rain following, becoming widespread by morning and turning heavy at times in the west and southwest, Met Éireann said. Temperatures will drop to between 2 and 8 degrees as the country is set to welcome Storm Boele.

Saturday morning will start out being “rather wet and windy” widespread rain and fresh to strong and gusty southerly winds, reaching near gale force or gale force near coasts.

Isolated thunderstorms are possible in the northwest with very strong winds as Boele moves north.

Ireland clear as rain weather warnings expire

The State is now clear of Met Éireann weather warnings as the yellow rain warnings in Leinster and Munster have expired with the worst of the storm now passed.

The attention now turns to the forthcoming Storm Boelo, the first warnings for which begin at 4am on Saturday morning.

Maritime warnings remain in place off the Irish coast from Fair Head to Carnsore Point to Slyne Head, on the Irish Sea until 7pm today, Friday. The Storm Austen marine gale warning is forecasting cyclonic variable winds, which could reach up to gale force 8 or strong gale force 9 at times.

Local Cork County Council office closed due to fallen tree

The Cork County Council local area office in Carrigaline will be closed to the public today due to a tree which has fallen on its grounds.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience while the area is made safe,” the council said.

Photos: Meanwhile in Dublin, commuters are struggling in the weather...

Photos: Trees down blocking roads across Waterford

Slow down and expect longer braking distances, warns TII

Drivers have been warned to slow down and expect longer braking distances today due to surface water on Irish motorways, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has warned drivers.

Disruption to public transport continues

More Bus Éireann routes have been cancelled, while Dublin Bus and Luas services are running normally.

The Bus Éireann 9am Dublin to Drogheda bus was cancelled, both 131 bus services at 9.30 and at 11.30, serving the Wicklow to Bray route have been cancelled.

The 7.45am Parkway Station to Drogheda bus is operating 30 minutes behind schedule, while the 9.15am Parkway Station to Emerald bus has been cancelled.

Damage to homes ‘expected’ as two more orange warnings issued for Storm Boelo

A status-orange rain warning has been issued for Co Kerry on Saturday from 7am until 2pm as Met Éireann has warned that Storm Boelo will bring “spells of very heavy and intense rain”.

Flooding, and damage to homes and businesses is “expected”, the national forecaster said, with likely disruption and delays to public transport and “very difficult travelling conditions”.

A status orange wind warning will be in place for Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo from 2pm on Saturday until 9am on Sunday.

Gale force winds are likely, alongside damage to “already weakened structures”, power lines and power outages.

Met Éireann has warned residents to prepare for fallen trees, large coastal waves and the possibility of loose objects being displaced.

Coastal flooding is possibly where winds blow onshore, and the conditions at sea were described as “dangerous”.

Storm Boelo: Yellow rain warning issued for west coast on Saturday

Met Éireann has issued a status yellow rain warning for much of the south-west and west coastal counties from 4am on Saturday morning until 3pm in the afternoon.

The warning is being issued as Storm Boelo is due to land in Ireland and is expected to bring “spells of heavy rain”.

The national forecaster said the storm could cause difficult travelling conditions, localised flooding possible and impact outdoor events in Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Leitrim, Limerick, Mayo, and Sligo.

An orange marine storm warning is in place on Irish waters from Erris Head to Bloody Foreland to Belfast Lough from 6pm on Saturday to 10am on Sunday.

West to northwesterly winds could reach storm force 10 at times, Met Éireann said.

Ground crews deployed across Waterford

Council crews have been clearing debris and tending to floods in Waterford, reports Darragh Murphy.

On the Outer Ring Road, Waterford city, a tree was obstructing part of the road this morning.

Lots of debris is being cleared from the N25 near McGrath’s Cross. On the N25 in Dungarvan town, traffic has been reduced to single lane due to flooding. In Dunmore East, a tree has fallen onto a streetlight.

A Council spokesperson said that flooding and fallen trees have been reported across the city and county. The public have been advised to “exercise caution on the roads this morning”.

ESB says 1,500 homes without power in Cork city

ESB Networks are reporting that over 1,500 homes in Cork city and county have been left without power, Barry Roche reports. Falling trees brought down powerlines with Ballydehob in West Cork the worst affected with almost 1,200 homes and businesses left without power.

Elsewhere, some homes in Glengarriff, Bantry, Enniskeane and Kinsale were affected as were some homes in Kanturk and Fermoy in North Cork and Ladysbridge and Cloyne in East Cork while a small number of homes in Fairhill in Cork city have also lost power.

Trees fallen on electrical wires in Co Cork

Trees have fallen onto electrical wires along the L6512 at Fusia Hill in Gortnanoon to the south of Cork city.

The road is closed, Cork County Council said, with ESB and council teams at the scene attempting repairs.

“Motorists are advised to avoid the area and use alternative routes where possible,” the council has warned.

The council is also reporting that the regional road, R612 which links Carrigaline with both Myrtleville and Crosshaven in South Cork is impassable due to flooding at Frenchfurze and Hoddersfield just outside Carrigaline.

Another tree has fallen on the R629 between Cloyne and Shanagarry, near Barnabrow House in East Cork; and on the R579 between Nad and Banteer.

Multiple trees down in Waterford city

Waterford City and County Council has said flooding, falling trees and debris have been reported across the county and that its ground crews are dealing with the aftermath of the storm.

Trees are down on the L3919 at Crough Wood, on the L3025 outside the Woodhouse estate at Stradbally, and the Outer Ring Road in Waterford City.

A tree has struck a street light on High Road in Dunmore East.

Another tree has been cleared from the Coast Road in Dungarvan, west Waterford. Flooding is present on a series of roads across the county.

The council is posting emergency updates here.

A ‘sigh of relief’ in two Cork towns after floodless storm

Traders and homeowners in both Midleton in east Cork and Bantry in west Cork are breathing a sigh of relief this morning as Storm Austen passed without causing any flooding, Barry Roche reports from Cork.

Both towns have been hit badly by flooding in recent years with Storm Babet causing up to 200 million euros worth of damage in Midleton in 2023 and Bantry being hit by seven floods between 2020 and 2025.

But gardaí in both towns told The Irish Times this morning that they had received no reports of flooding from anyone in either town or surrounding areas despite the heavy rain.

High tide in Bantry passed off without incident at 2.30am and in Midleton at 3.56am, similarly without incident.

Gardaí did report some trees down on secondary roads around Mogeely and Cloyne in east Cork.

Fallen trees and 60mm of rain in Co Cork

Cork County Council has received reports of more than 40 fallen trees and fallen branches across the county over night.

Council crews are working to clear affected areas “as quickly and safely as possible”, the council has said.

As much as 60mm of rainfall has been recorded in parts of Co Cork overnight, but no river flooding has been reported.

“However, localised ponding and surface water remain a concern and may create hazardous driving conditions during the morning commute,” the council said.

Commuters living in Cork were urged to “take extra care if travelling this morning”.

Trees have been reported down on the R629 between Cloyne and Shanagarry, near Barnabrow House, and on the R579 between Nad and Bantee.

Major road in Kerry reopens after tree fall

The main Ring of Kerry Road has reopened this morning, Anne Lucey reports from Co Kerry. A tree at Mountain Stage near Glenbeigh had blocked the N70.

No major reports of flooding or damage so far despite heavy rain and wind over night. The worst of the rain has passed but motorists are advised to drive with caution.

Further Bus Éireann routes in Co Waterford cancelled

Bus Éireann has reported further disruption to its bus network in the southeast of the country this morning.

The route 360 services at 8am and 8.50am from Waterford to Crobally Heights in Tramore have been cancelled.

In Waterford city, the W1, W2 and W5 bus routes will see disruption this morning with some trips cancelled. Some other routes are affected.

There is no reported disruption to Luas or Dublin Bus services. A short delay of 20 minutes was caused to some Dart services for an engineer’s inspection of the Sandwith Street rail bridge after a vehicle strike.

‘No delays of note’ at Dublin Airport

Passengers have been encouraged to check directly with their airline before any scheduled flights today, but Dublin Airport has said there are “no delays of note” despite the storm.

“Please take extra care on the roads when travelling to/from the airport,” the daa said.

Approximately 3,000 homes and businesses without power

About 3,000 homes, farms and businesses are without power due to Storm Austen as of 7am, the ESB has said.

The affected homes are mostly in the south and east of the country, with a cluster of faults near Cork city.

ESB crews have been deployed to the impacted areas to restore power “where safe to do so”, the State-owned electricity company told The Irish Times.

As Met Éireann weather warnings remain in place, however, it warned there “may be further power outages this morning”.

Amid concerns about downed power cables, the ESB warned that the public should “never, ever touch or approach” fallen wires or damaged electricity networks but instead to report damage by calling 1800 372 999.

The ESB provides real-time information on power outages and the estimated restoration time at www.PowerCheck.ie.

Further disruption to Bus Éireann network in Waterford

Bus Éireann has reported further disruption to its bus network in the south of the country this morning, whereas there is no reported disruption to Dart, Luas and Dublin Bus services.

In Waterford city, the W1, W2 and W5 bus routes will see disruption this morning with some trips cancelled.

Some scheduled trips on its route NV2 and route NV1 have also been cancelled. Both routes serve the town of Navan, Co Meath.

The bus service is directing customers to the TFI app to see the specific buses affected by cancellations.

The 7.07am Kells to Dublin service, route 109, remains cancelled.

Disruption to some Bus Éireann services amid storm

Storm Austen’s expected impact on public transport services has begun with some Bus Éireann routes being cancelled on Friday morning.

The bus service has warned commuters that its 7.07am Kells to Dublin service, route 109, has been cancelled due to an “incident”.

Some scheduled trips on its route NV2 have also been cancelled, the bus service said.

“Please be advised that Storm Austen may cause disruptions to our services across the Southeast and Eastern regions,” Bus Éireann has said.

“Customers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys and stay tuned for further updates.”

A separate non-storm warning is in place regarding Route 101 due to roadworks on the R132 in Swords, and delays are expected.

‘Intense rain’ in Wicklow, Wexford and Dublin amid orange warning

A status-orange rain warning came into affect in Wicklow, Wexford and Dublin at 2am and runs until 8am.

Counties Waterford, Cork and Kerry had an orange warning for rain in place from 10pm on Thursday, but that ceased at 5am on Friday.

The east coast was forecast to be pummelled by “intense rain” associated with Storm Austen this morning.

Met Éireann, the national forecaster, has warned that flooding is expected from Wexford to Dublin, with “very difficult travelling conditions” likely to be in place.

It has also cautioned that disruption and delays to public transport are likely.

More widely, a status-yellow rain and wind warning is in place for all counties in Leinster and Munster until 10am on Friday, with flooding possible, and some fallen trees and branches expected.

Storm Austen hit Ireland’s south coast last night

The first storm of the year hit Ireland’s south coast late on Thursday evening, bringing heavy rain in Munster and south Leinster, which later spread into Connacht and the rest of Leinster.

Amid warnings of localised flooding in Munster and Leinster, Keith Leonard, head of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, said “local response teams will be very busy throughout the bank holiday weekend”.

The storm is named after Austen H Nagle, an Englishman from Birmingham who was the first director of the Irish Meteorological Service (IMS), now Met Éireann, in 1936.

Storm Austen will be followed by Storm Boelo on Saturday.

Boelo is set to coincide with high tides, increasing the risk of flooding from high waves and storm surges, particularly along the west and northwest coasts.