Orange rain warnings in effect for three counties

Updated / Friday, We need your consent to load this windy contentWe use windy to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preferences Status Orange rain warnings are in effect for counties Wicklow, Wexford and Dublin until 8am. Met Éireann has forecast "intense rain" associated with Storm Austen and has warned of the risk of flooding due to fallen leaves and blocked drains. A previous warning had been issued for Cork, Kerry and Waterford and expired at 5am. A Status Yellow rain and wind warning for Leinster and Munster is also in effect until 10am. The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management has advised of the potential for flooding and difficult travel conditions due to the arrival of Storm Austen. Households are advised to secure any outdoor items such as bins or garden furniture and to ensure access to essential supplies. Motorists should exercise caution and avoid driving through flooded roads. Local authorities made preparations throughout yesterday for heavy rain and wind associated with the storm. Met Éireann said river levels are expected to rise across Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford, Wicklow, Kildare, Laois, Offaly, Dublin and parts of the surrounding counties, potentially resulting in rivers exceeding their banks and causing flooding. Mean sea level pressure and precipitation associated with Storm Austen Met Éireann Senior Forecaster Gerry Murphy said the potential for flooding with leaves and blocked drains is "substantial". "From my flood forecasting colleagues, the water levels in some areas are not quite as high as perhaps some times during the winter... because we are in the autumn still and we have had a dry summer," he said. Mr Murphy said it will be wet in most places because of the Status Yellow rain warning for all counties, but areas in south and east under the Orange warning will be worst affected. "You could be talking anywhere between 40mm and 60mm of rain in those areas with an orange rain warning, which means flooding will be likely," he said. "The heaviest rain is overnight along the east coast from 2am until 8am. For rush hour, there is likely to be floods on many of the roads, and it will be a difficult enough morning in the east and in the south as well." Mr Murphy said there will be "no real let up" from the rain over the weekend and blustery conditions are expected for Sunday's Dublin marathon.