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Cars in floodwater in Rathfarnham this morning. Damien Storan
Live Blog

Storm Chandra: Flooding in several areas as some 20,000 homes and businesses without power

Met Éireann has issued Status Yellow warnings for wind and rain across much of the country today.
5.30pm, 26 Jan 2026
57.7k
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LAST UPDATE | 29 mins ago

STORM CHANDRA HAS reached Ireland bringing strong winds, flooding in several areas and commuter services already being disrupted. 

According to ESB Networks, around 20,000 homes, farms and businesses are without power so far this morning. 

Local authorities in Louth, Dublin and Wexford have reported flooding with other areas also believed to be affected. 

Rail services across the network are delayed this morning due to flooding at several locations, according to Iarnród Éireann. 

A Status Yellow wind warning for the entire country began at 3am and will remain in place until 11pm, with a separate Status Yellow rain warning is in effect for counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Louth, Wexford, Wicklow and Waterford. 

In Northern Ireland, almost 300 schools are closed today across counties Armagh, Antrim and Down. 

Full details of Met Éireann warnings are available here, with the forecaster saying that the main impacts could be fallen trees and loose debris and dave over-toppping

We’ll have all the latest updates for you throughout the day. 

Updates by Jane Moore.

20 mins ago 10:49AM

Cars were left submerged in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 as a result of flooding caused by Storm Chandra this morning.

_M6I9190 Damien Storan Damien Storan

_M6I9237 Damien Storan Damien Storan

_M6I9219 Damien Storan Damien Storan

46 mins ago 10:23AM

Waterford City and County Council is advising people to listen to public safety advice and avoid unnecessary journeys due to potentially hazardous driving conditions.

Due to flooding, Military Road in Dungarvan is closed and there have been reports of spot flooding in Portlaw.

Carparks at Davitt’s Quay, The Pond, The Lookout and Castle Street in Dungarvan remain closed to the public.

The council advised motorists to slow down, increase stopping distances and watch for surface water, fallen trees and branches and debris on roads.

They are also advising people to avoid driving through flowing or standing water and if the road ahead is flooded, to turn around and find another route. Motorists should also be conscious of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

“Waterford City and County Council’s crews are on the ground and actively monitoring the situation and dealing with any issues as they arise, such as localised flooding, blocked drains, gulley overflows,” it said. 

People can contact Waterford City and County Council’s Customer Services Desk if needed on 0818 10 20 20. 

1 hr ago 10:08AM

There are ongoing disruptions to rail services due to the flooding that happened as a result of Storm Chandra. 

Iarnród Éireann said the Rosslare line remains closed between Wexford and Enniscorthy due to flooding, with staff arranging bus transfers.

1 hr ago 9:19AM

Dublin Bus spokesperson Blake Boland has said they are seeing increasing impact by the flooding this morning.

He told RTÉ’s David McCullagh that a tree down in Palermo in Bray has dragged wires down with it, so there are some delays in the area. 

He said the biggest flood that is impacting bus services is in the Stepaside-Enniskerry area, resulting in “a couple of trip cancellations” for the 44b.

“We have a couple of busses that are out there, and we simply just can’t move due to flooding at the moment,” he said, adding that some traffic lights were also out of action. 

“We are seeing a lot of impacts, and we’re doing our best to get that information up on the socials for people so they can plan their journey as best they can.”

1 hr ago 9:11AM

There are diversions on some Dublin Bus routes this morning. 

Inbound services on Routes 27, 56A, 74, 77A, 150, and 151 are diverted via Kevin Street, Georges Street, Dame Street until further notice due to the closure of Patrick Street. 

For Route L14, stops 4417, 4419, 4420, 4421, 2113 and 8266 not in use due to a fallen tree.

Route 44 can’t serve Stepaside due to flooding. The route has been diverted inbound via Glenamuck Road, Ballyogan Road, Kilgobbin Road and back to the normal route at Enniskerry Road.

Outbound, the bus will divert to Kilgobbin Road, Ballyogan Road and Glenamuck Road before returning to the normal route at Enniskerry Road.

Route 15b can’t serve stops 6285 and 6286 due to flooding at Stocking Avenue. The bus is operating from stop 6287.

2 hrs ago 8:53AM

Some more updates from Iarnród Éireann here on the delays affecting the rail network this morning. 

Bus transfers are in place on the Rosslare line until further notice, while the line is closed between Gorey-Enniscorthy and Arklow-Rathdrum due to severe flooding.

Southbound services through Skerries are suspended until further notice due to flooding on the line. 

2 hrs ago 8:47AM

Nutgrove Avenue in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 is “impassable” due to flooding, according to Sinn Féin councillor Róisín Mannion. 

2 hrs ago 8:45AM

Met Éireann forecaster Gerry Murphy has said that the rain is currently heaviest over Leinster, Connacht and Ulster.

He said Dublin in particular saw very heavy rain overnight, with 30 millimeters of rain recorded in the Phoenix Park since midnight. 

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Murphy said that as the rain moves northwards, drier conditions will develop throughout the morning and afternoon. “But then we’re going to see plenty of showers following from the south for the rest of the day,” he said.

Murphy said we can expect to see another 5mm to 10mm of rain in places this morning, and then again later today due to more showers, with the amount of rain seen over the last few days leading to surface flooding.

With regard to the wind, he said it’s going to be “a very windy day” in the east and in the south, especially in coastal areas. 

“During this afternoon and for a time this evening in Munster as well, it’s going to become very windy, especially again, in coastal areas, with the winds in this instance from the west or south west.”

He said a gust of 124km/h was recorded at Malin Head in Co Donegal earlier this morning. 

2 hrs ago 8:41AM

Sligo County Council is reporting a fallen tree on the R295 Ballymote to Boyle Road at Keash. 

2 hrs ago 8:33AM

The ESB has said that as of 8.15am, there are 20,000 homes, farms and business without power due to the impact of Storm Chandra. 

“ESB Networks crews have been mobilised since first light and are working to assess the damage, make the network safe and restore electricity supply in challenging conditions,” a spokesperson said. 

“We acknowledge the disruption to family and commercial life this causes and thank impacted customers for their patience as our crews work to safely restore power. ”

The spokesperson also issued a warning not to touch or approach any fallen wires or damaged electricity poles, and to report any damage to electricity infrastructure on 1800 372 999.

2 hrs ago 8:20AM

There is some heavy congestion on the M50 in both directions this morning.

The road is closed northbound between J13 Dundrum and J12 Firhouse due to flooding.

There is also flooding on the M1 between J19 Ravensdale and J20 Jonesbor’gh (northbound), and the M11/N11 between J08 Kilmacanoge and J07 Bray (northbound).

2 hrs ago 8:16AM

The latest news for any commuters this morning is that delays of up to 40 minutes are expected across the rail network due to flooding in a number of places. 

The Phoenix Park Tunnel has reopened and services will resume to Grand Canal Dock,  though delays are expected.

2 hrs ago 8:11AM

There’s some flooding being reported in Dublin this morning, including on Nutgrove Avenue in Rathfarnham. 

3 hrs ago 8:07AM

There are a number of road closures in Enniscorthy this morning due to flooding after the River Slaney burst its banks. 

3 hrs ago 8:04AM

There appears to be some power outages in some parts of the country this morning, particularly in Dublin. 

You can find updates on your area on ESB’s PowerCheck website. 

IMG_0247 PowerCheck PowerCheck

3 hrs ago 7:59AM

In Northern Ireland, over 200 schools are closed today due to the impacts of Storm Chandra.

In total, 270 schools in counties Antrim and Down have announced closures. You can find a full list here. 

There are also reports of power outages across the North this morning.

3 hrs ago 7:50AM

Dublin Airport has said strong winds from Storm Chandra are impacting flight operations this morning. 

“With winds set to remain strong over the remainder of the day – both at Dublin Airport and other airports around Ireland, Europe and the UK – disruption to flight schedules is possible,” it said in a post on social media. 

Passengers due to fly today are advised to contact their airline for updates.

3 hrs ago 7:45AM

Louth County Council is reporting some flooding in Drogheda.

3 hrs ago 7:39AM

The stormy weather is impacting some rail services this morning, with Iarnród Éireann warning of “major disruptions” are expected as a result of the storm. 

Iarnród Éireann spokesperson Jane Cregan told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that the Phoenix Park Tunnel is currently closed due to flooding, so services on that route are currently being diverted into Houston.

There is also a 25-minute delay to all routes due to speed restrictions that have been put in place, she said. 

“On the DART line, we have wave overtopping at Blackrock and we also have some challenges with lowering and raising level crossings due to the high winds, but we do have staff on site to assist with that,” Cregan said. 

There have been no cancellations yet, but customers are advised to check Iarnród Éireann’s website, app and social media for updates.

“We’re monitoring other locations as well where water levels are rising, but as of now, everything else other than the Phoenix Park Tunnel is operating, albeit with delays,” she added. 

3 hrs ago 7:31AM

Met Éireann has said that widespread rain is expected today, heavy at times, with the possibility of wintry conditions on higher ground in the north and northwest during the morning.

Clearer spells and scattered showers will follow from the south for a time before further rain spreads northwards.

Rainfall will be most persistent in the south and east, where saturated ground increases the risk of localised flooding.

Strong east to south-east winds will reach gale force along the coasts, with daytime temperatures ranging from five to nine degrees.

The forecaster has advised people to take extra care when travelling, monitor weather updates and prepare for hazardous conditions.

Meteorologist Rebecca Cantwell noted that the rain will fall on already saturated ground and that this, combined with the fact that many rivers are approaching or exceeding bank-full conditions, means localised flooding and river flooding is expected.

The flood risk will persist from Wednesday into Thursday due to continued forecast rainfall and slow drainage from saturated ground.

She added that the status yellow level rainfall warnings have been issued for southeastern counties where the rain is expected to have the greatest impacts.

Cantwell further remarked that the “compound effect of the wind and rain will make for some difficult travelling conditions, so we would urge people to keep that in mind when out and about”.

“In summary, stay back from rivers, lakes and the coasts and avoid flooded roads, following the latest guidance from your local authority and road authorities,” added Cantwell.

3 hrs ago 7:29AM

Good morning and welcome to our liveblog of Storm Chandra. 

Jane Moore here – I’ll be bringing you all the latest on how the storm is impacting the country throughout the morning. 

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