LAST UPDATE | 3 hrs ago

THE CHAIR OF the National Emergency Coordination Group has said that local authorities “everywhere”, but particularly in the Dublin area, are on “full alert for potential flooding across the week”.

Keith Leonard told RTÉ that recent rainfall, combined with high tides and on shore winds, means that he is most concerned about flooding across Dublin and Wicklow on Thursday evening and into Friday morning.

“I would say Thursday night is definitely going to be a pinch point,” Leonard told RTÉ’s News at One.

“It comes with that combination of rainfall, very high tides and onshore winds which unfortunately creates the most difficult conditions for holding water and not letting it release out into the estuaries and into the sea.”

Leonard also said it’s also likely that areas already hit by significant flooding last week, such as Enniscorthy in Co Wicklow, will flood again amid the ongoing wet weather. 

Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that they will not see further flooding into this week and even beyond. We’re in really a protracted response to this event at this stage.

Elsewhere, Dublin City Council’s Flood Management Team has noted that river levels remain high, there is a high tides advisory and further periods of rainfall are expected on already saturated ground.

Tidal Warnings have prompted Dublin City Council to continue to keep carparks along coasts at Sandymount and Clontarf closed and the cycle lane at Clontarf will also remain closed as a precautionary measure.

Eden Quay Boardwalk (floodgates) will also remain closed, as will the flood gates along the River Dodder.

It comes as a Status Yellow rain warning remains in place for three counties in the east of the country. 

Met Éireann has warned that further heavy rain falling on saturated ground combined with high river levels and high tides will lead to localised flooding, river flooding and difficult travel conditions.

The warning for Dublin, Louth, and Wicklow, which came into effect at 6am, is due to expire at 9pm tonight.

A warning for counties Carlow, Cork, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford expired at 3pm.

The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) met today to continue to assess the flood risk and warned that all relevant agencies are on alert for difficult conditions over the coming week that may result in flooding in some areas.

The NECG said all agencies are working to put in place measures to mitigate the impact of further rain, and to ensure readiness to respond to any flooding incidents.

The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management meanwhile said a river flood advisory is currently in place for Wexford until 11am on Friday, with river levels currently registering as high and surface water levels elevated in the region.

“High tides will further reduce the capacity for river discharge and increase the risk of flooding in low-lying coastal areas during high tide. This means that coastal levels are High for the remainder of the week,” the NDFEM said. 

Elsewhere, Louth County Council today warned people to avoid several roads in Drogheda due to localised flooding. 

The council said Wellington Quay and the R150 Marsh Road in the town are among the roads that have flooded in the last few hours. 

The main street in Blackrock, Co Louth will also close to the public during high tide this week and closures will commence an hour before high tide and finish an hour after.

ℹ️ Main Street, Blackrock will be closed to the public during high tide this week.

⚠️ From 11pm on Tuesday night
⚠️ From 12pm on Wednesday and Thursday

Closures will commence an hour before high tide and finish an hour after.

Members of the public are asked not to park their… pic.twitter.com/7zRVFSzsTm

— Louth County Council (@louthcoco) February 3, 2026

The public have been asked not to park their vehicles in this area during high tides.

‘Vigilance necessary’

Met Éireann forecaster Gerry Murphy has said eastern parts of Wicklow and south Dublin have received the most rainfall since overnight, with around 14 millimetres falling since then and more on the mountains. 

Speaking to RTÉ’s News at One, Murphy said some of the rain will be “heaviest on higher ground, and some of that rain could flow down into various river catchments and lead to potential flooding”.

He added that heavy rain is set to continue throughout the rest of the week and that “vigilance with regard to flooding is necessary all the time in this overall weather pattern”. 

“In the very short term, flooding [is] possible especially in counties Wicklow, Louth, parts of Meath, Cavan, Monaghan still for the rest of today, some respite tomorrow, and then a repeat really, with more flooding possible in the south east and east as we go through Thursday, Friday and into the weekend.”

National forecast

Tonight will be cloudy with patchy outbreaks of rain and drizzle, with lowest temperatures of 1 to 6 or 7 degrees expected.

Tomorrow will be another cloudy day with further outbreaks of rain and drizzle.

However, brighter spells may occasionally develop throughout the day, with highest temperatures of 5 to 10 degrees expected.

Wednesday night will remain cloudy with rain across southern counties, while further north will be drier with some clear spells, with lowest temperatures of 3 to 8 degrees.

Met Éireann said Thursday’s forecast remains uncertain but current indications suggest a wet and windy day with widespread rain, turning persistent and heavy at times.

Outbreaks of rain and drizzle Thursday night will gradually become patchier and confined to the south and east towards morning, while Ulster and north Connacht will stay mostly dry.

Friday however is looking to be another wet and windy day with widespread outbreaks of rain and drizzle.

Heavy and persistent rain will mostly affect the south and east.

Met Éireann has said that similar conditions are expected to continue into the weekend.

With reporting from Jane Moore