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The River Slaney has burst its banks in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. Alamy Stock Photo

Storm Chandra: Flooding causing travel disruption in many areas and 2,500 without power

Flooding is still causing problems on transport routes this evening.

LAST UPDATE | 1 hr ago

STORM CHANDRA HAS brought widespread disruption across the country, with strong winds, major flooding in several areas and commuter services delayed. 

According to ESB Networks, around 2,500 homes, farms and businesses are without power this evening as of 5.15pm – down from a peak of around 20,000.

There are no rail services running on the Rosslare rail line but a bus transfer is in place between Bray and Rosslare Europort.

However, other rail services are said to be moving as normal.

Local authorities in Louth, Dublin and other areas have reported flooding, while the River Slaney in Co Wexford has burst its banks.

Full details of Met Éireann warnings are available here.

Updates by Jane Moore, Andrew Walsh, Mairead Maguire and Diarmuid Pepper. 

The weather warnings remain in place but we are going to end our liveblog here.

As of 5.15pm, some 2,500 premises remained without power – ESB Networks said the majority of these will have power restored tonight.

The entire island remains under a status yellow wind alert, with the alert in place until 11pm in the Republic and until midnight in the North.

Meanwhile, a status yellow rain warning remains in place across Carlow, Louth, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow until 11pm.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland has issued the following advice to anyone travelling over the next 24 hours:

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Louth update

Louth County Council has warned that river levels will remain high in the county until Thursday, with further rain set to fall on saturated ground over the rest of the week.

The Council has urged the public to remain vigilant of debris on roads, avoid floodwater, and heed all signage in relation to closed roads.

Dublin to Belfast rail service

There remains disruption on the northern commuter line, with bus transfers in place.

Wicklow update

Wicklow County Council has said provisions are being put in place for residents in properties based in Riverfield, Aughrim.

The Pavilion, Aughrim is currently operating as a day hub and can function as a rest centre and the Civil Defence have around 60 beds available for use, if required.

The Council adds that The Rest Centre is available for overnight accommodation, with 20 beds initially available.

The Community Support Centre is also available for members of the public seeking an area to shelter, with tea and coffee facilities available, along with toilet facilities and phone charging stations.

Meanwhile, all areas within the Arklow, Wicklow, Bray, Greystones and Baltinglass Municipal Districts are continuing to be closely monitored.

The N11 Northbound Lane at Kilmacanogue has been severely impacted and crews are on-site dealing with the situation. 

The Emergency Response Payment (formerly the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme) is now available to provide support to those living in properties directly affected by Storm Chandra in County Wicklow.

ESB Networks

As of 5.15pm, around 2,500 homes, farms and businesses are without power, mostly in the east.

That number stood at around 20,000 at the peak of the outages this morning.

ESB says supply will be restored to the majority of customers by tonight, but that there may be small pockets of customers without supply overnight.

Estimated restoration times are available on www.PowerCheck.ie.

Community Hub and Rest Centre set up in Wicklow

Wexford and Wicklow Emergency Response Payment

The Emergency Response Payment (formerly called the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme) is now available to those living in properties affected by Storm Chandra in Wicklow and Wexford.

Levels of payment depend on the severity of damage experienced and the household’s ability to meet these costs from their own resources. 

Stage 1 of the scheme is available from today until next Wednesday.

Fine Gael TD Brian Brennan said it is essential that families affected by Storm Chandra are helped immediately as many in Wicklow and Wexford “are facing serious damage, which includes ruined flooring and essential appliances destroyed”.

“For families already stretched by the cost of living, these unexpected expenses are simply impossible to absorb,” he added.

“This scheme is an essential lifeline.”

Further information on the Emergency Response Payment is available here.

 

Traffic updates

The Rosslare Line is to remain suspended until tomorrow afternoon and bus transfers are in operation.

However, all other routes are operating with knock-on delays.

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Castleknock

Commuters are being warned of long delays as Tower Road is closed at the junction with Carpenterstown Road.

And here’s the view across the water from Omeath, Co Louth in Warrenpoint, Co Down. 

James Geoghegan, TD for Dublin Bay South, shared a video earlier of what he described as “some of then worst flooding I’ve seen here”.

“Dodder burst at Milltown park by Dropping Well pub,” said Geoghegan.

“Dublin City Council have the Pumps in operation at site and river levels dropping.”

Dublin Airport

There have been 20 flight cancellations so far at Dublin Airport and DAA spokesperson Grame McQueen says he is “expecting the strongest winds here between 4pm and 6pm”.

“There is potential for further disruption this evening,” he added.

“For anyone flying, you need to be keeping in close contact with your airline, to get the latest status of your flight.”

He said that the flights which were cancelled earlier were smaller propeller flights, particularly regional flights to UK cities.

Wexford flooding

Co Wexford is experiencing bad flooding, as our reporter Eoghan Dalton found out today. 

Local councillor Jackser Owens told The Journal that a young family with a newborn baby had to be rescued from their flooded apartment in Enniscorthy amid the chaos this morning.

Met Éireann forecaster Linda Hughes told RTÉ’s Drivetime that the Johnstown Castle weather station in Co Wexford recorded rainfall for 15 consecutive days.

“It has just been a steady accumulation of rain over a prolonged period of time,” she told RTÉ.

She added that rainfall overnight and this morning “tipped it over the edge”.

river (8) Flooding in Enniscorthy town today Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Collapsed roads in Co Monaghan

Monaghan County Council says flooding has caused the “partial collapse of several local roads”.

This has resulted in road closures and diversions and the Council notes that “driving conditions remain challenging in a number of areas”.

'Not over the worst of it'

Met Éireann has warned that “we are still not over the worst of it”, with further heavy showers this come this evening.

Speaking to RTÉ, forecaster Linda Hughes noted that the ground is saturated and “there is nowhere for the rain to go”.

“Any further rainfall on top of what we had, could cause some further issues,” she added.

Several trains have been delayed as a result of floods.

Here’s the latest from Iarnród Éireann:

  • Maynooth Line +3 mins
  • DART +10 mins
  • Northern Commuter +14 mins
  • Sligo Line +18 mins
  • Phoenix Park Tunnel +5 mins
Flights cancelled

In its latest update, Dublin Airport said the storm is continuing to affect flights, with 20 cancelled as of 3pm. 

As always, if you’re flying, it’s best to ask you airline directly for updates on your journey time.

Newborn baby rescued

Homes have been evacuated in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford as Storm Chandra has subjected the town to what locals say is its worst flooding in a generation.

It’s left homes and businesses underwater, cars stranded, power cut and the town centre closed off after the River Slaney burst its banks earlier today.

members-of-slaney-search-and-rescue-working-in-floodwater-in-enniscorthy-co-wexford-hundreds-of-schools-are-closed-and-tens-of-thousands-of-people-are-without-power-as-storm-chandra-batters-the-is Members of Slaney Search and Rescue working in floodwater in Enniscorthy Alamy Alamy

Local councillor Jackser Owens told The Journal that a young family with a newborn baby had to be rescued from their flooded apartment amid the chaos this morning.

Six men and a boat from Slaney Search and Rescue managed to rescue the young couple and child’s grandmother.

the-river-slaney-bursts-its-banks-in-enniscorthy-co-wexford-hundreds-of-schools-are-closed-and-tens-of-thousands-of-people-are-without-power-as-storm-chandra-batters-the-island-of-ireland-picture Another shot of the flooding Alamy Alamy

Louth County Council has been working to respond to flooding and fallen tress. They’ve given a rundown on their website of the areas affected, which you can find here.

St Anne’s Park in Dublin 5 has been closed after trees fell in the storm. Dublin City Council said it will be closed all day.

“Please do not enter the park until our staff have completed further inspections and made the area safe,” they said.

Amid the transport disruption caused by Storm Chandra, Labour’s Mark Wall has called for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to develop a real-time information app that could provide centralised information for all commuters. 

“The fact that there is no centralised information repository when it comes to data and information on our roads is crazy,” the Kildare South TD said.

Today with a yellow weather warning, commuters were left utterly reliant on radio updates regarding road conditions and public transport.

“While we are lucky at the level of detailed provided to us across broadcast, it is beyond for TII to invest in a real time information app that can provide centralised information for all commuters.”

Wall said one of the biggest issues reported by commuters is the lack of information available about delays, route changes or public transport cancellations.

“If people had full and objective information about what options are available to them in terms of public transport, and what level of delays are being experienced on motorways, they could adjust their schedule or their route.”

He said motorists today have told him that “online map apps are routing them through areas that are flooded, Dublin Bus updates are available on one website, Luas on another”.

“It’s making people’s journeys unnecessarily difficult.”

Iarnród Éireann said services on the Rosslare line remain suspended due to flooding on the line at Enniscorthy. Bus transfers are in operation.

Elsewhere, these are the delays on the other lines:

  • Maynooth line: 23 minutes
  • DART: 35 mins
  • Northern Commuter: 32 minutes
  • Sligo Line: 44 minutes
  • Phoenix Park Tunnel: 13 minutes

minister-for-public-expenditure-jack-chambers-at-the-launch-the-accelerating-infrastructure-report-and-action-plan-at-the-government-buildings-in-dublin-picture-date-wednesday-december-3-2025 Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers was asked today by The Journal about the chaos on the M50 this morning and the words by the TII at the end of last year that there is almost nothing it can do to address traffic gridlock on the M50.

Chambers said to be fair to TII, they have a strong record on maintenance on Ireland’s road network, stating that more than €300 million is spent every year maintaining the motorway and our national primary roads.

“I regret that so many faced excessive delays this morning, but that’s why we’re fronting up on investing in infrastructure and in the road network, but also public transport.”

He said there is a need to mitigate the risk of flooding and build climate resilience, adding that government wants to move quickly to accelerate road projects that have been delayed over recent years.

The R675 on the Waterford City side of Annestown is closed due to flooding, according to the council. 

The M50 between Junction 16 Cherrywood and Junction 12 Firhouse remains closed. – but it should be open again within the next hour. 

“We have crews on site, but water has been cleared. We have sweepers there, we have tanker trucks, so we’re just clearing up debris,” Sean O’Neill, director of communications for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, told RTÉ’s News at One. 

“I just got a report from the operations crew that they are hopeful they will have it open within the hour.”

He added that crews and resources are also on the way to Kilmacanoge to assist local crews there. 

“The crews have confirmed that they will remain onsite through the afternoon, into this evening, to deal with any issues if they arise.”

Cathal Byrne said he was in a few houses on the Island Road in Enniscorthy at around 5am this morning.

He said: “The people who still live on the Island Road are so used to being flooded that one of the methods they use is they get their kitchen table, they load up all their possessions onto it, and they then get a jack, and they jack that kitchen table up to the ceiling level in the best efforts that they can to protect themselves in some of these bungalows.”

Byrne also described “extraordinary scenes” that saw six men and a boat from Slaney Search and Rescue rescuing a young couple with a newborn baby from an apartment “simply because the water got too high for them to be able to get away”.

“Accommodation is a challenge in Enniscorthy. We do have many houses getting built, but I know that Wexford County Council is going to be under pressure to try and accommodate everybody who has been directly impacted,” he said.

Calls for progress on Enniscorthy flood relief scheme

Staying in Enniscorthy, Fine Gael Senator Cathal Byrne has told RTÉ’s News at One that all of the town’s worst fears “have come true”.

“We now have a situation where the main thoroughfare through the town is now completely covered by water. We’re fast approaching high tide and a record,” Byrne said. 

He said there are about 350 houses directly impacted, together with the main thoroughfare of local businesses in the town.

It is a really devastating hammer blow for Enniscorthy and it really is something that should never have kept got to this stage.

There have been nine major floods in Enniscorthy since 2000. In that year, a flood relief scheme was proposed for the town. There was €55m allocated to the project after further flooding in 2014, Byrne said. 

“But unfortunately, despite having no local objectors, and despite having cross-party support politically, locally, it hasn’t been possible to get planning permission,” he said.

There was a planning application made to the government in 2021, but this was rejected on the basis that the protected freshwater pearl mussel was present in the water.

“Therefore the water couldn’t be touched as regards dredging, as regards glass walls,” Byrne said.

“This has really caused enormous frustration locally, particularly given the fact that after so many years of consultation, there was no objectors. The scheme was unanimously bought into.

“People are frustrated. They’re fed up. They don’t understand how a scheme that has €55m allocated to it cannot get planning permission, and we really need to see legislative change in this area.”

As the River Slaney rises to near record levels, here’s an aerial view of how it looks in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. 

the-river-slaney-bursts-its-banks-in-enniscorthy-co-wexford-hundreds-of-schools-are-closed-and-tens-of-thousands-of-people-are-without-power-as-storm-chandra-batters-the-island-of-ireland-picture Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

the-river-slaney-bursts-its-banks-in-enniscorthy-co-wexford-hundreds-of-schools-are-closed-and-tens-of-thousands-of-people-are-without-power-as-storm-chandra-batters-the-island-of-ireland-picture Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

people-are-escorted-through-floodwaters-in-enniscorthy-co-wexford-hundreds-of-schools-are-closed-and-tens-of-thousands-of-people-are-without-power-as-storm-chandra-batters-the-island-of-ireland-p Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Here’s another look at the flooding along the River Dodder in Dublin.

The Journal / YouTube

The River Slaney in Wexford is approaching record levels as the high tide approaches.

In Rathfarnham, one man appeared to be making the most of the flooding by taking a dip in his swimming shorts in a waterlogged park.

(FYI we are NOT encouraging this behaviour)

Storm Chandra Rathfarnham Flooding 2 Robbie Reynolds Robbie Reynolds

In Northern Ireland, the Belfast Telegraph is reporting that a flock of sheep has become stranded in flood waters near Ballymena.

Firefighters are at the scene.

Meteorologist Aoife Kealy from Met Éireann told The Journal that the heaviest rain is now clearing to the north, but persistent showers will continue across the country.

“Given the amount of rain that’s fallen over the last week or so, any extra little bit of rain will just add to the surface water, particularly in the south and east,” Kealy warned.

While there’s a small lull in winds as the storm moves north, conditions will pick up again along the western coast later today, with easterly winds easing through the afternoon, she added.

Kealy urged people at home to monitor local authority updates and allow extra travel time.

people-walking-through-flooded-roads-in-bunclody-co-wexford-hundreds-of-schools-are-closed-and-tens-of-thousands-of-people-are-without-power-as-storm-chandra-batters-the-island-of-ireland-picture People walking through flooded roads in Bunclody, Co Wexford. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

She noted that high river levels and standing water may persist even as rainfall eases.

“Even though it’s not actively raining, there can still be some impact out there,” she said.

Dublin also saw slightly heavier rain than forecast, exacerbated by wet conditions over the past week, Kealy explained, which led to localised surface flooding.

“The fact that it has been so wet in the run-up to the storm meant that rainfall, which otherwise may not have caused an issue, did cause an issue in this case,” Kealy said.

Wexford update

Wexford County Council have provided an update on the severe flooding in Enniscorthy and Bunclody.

the-river-slaney-bursts-its-banks-in-enniscorthy-co-wexford-hundreds-of-schools-are-closed-and-tens-of-thousands-of-people-are-without-power-as-storm-chandra-batters-the-island-of-ireland-picture Flooding in Enniscorthy town today. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“All crews are out on the ground in the Enniscorthy and Bunclody areas at the minute,” a council spokesperson said.

the added that Enniscorthy town is completely closed to through traffic, and there is no access from east to west and both bridges are flooded and closed.

“The water continues to rise in the Slaney and it is not due to subside for several hours,” the spokesperson said.

people-in-floodwaters-in-enniscorthy-co-wexford-hundreds-of-schools-are-closed-and-tens-of-thousands-of-people-are-without-power-as-storm-chandra-batters-the-island-of-ireland-picture-date-tuesd Emergency workers pictured in the flood waters in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“Businesses and homes will be assessed for damage as soon as is practicable, and the national emergency funding relief scheme will be activated within the next few hours.”

In Bunclody the town is shut off from the south side and a number of premises are also closed.

“Again, these properties will all be assessed for damage as soon as we can,” the council spokesperson said.

Power outages

The ESB has said that as of 12.15pm, approximately 5,500 homes, farms and businesses still without power, primarily in the east of the country.

“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,” an ESB 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.”

Here’s a look at the difference in water levels at the stepping stones across the Dodder River in Terenure on the 15, 20 and 27 January.

MixCollage-27-Jan-2026-12-20-PM-2589 The Journal The Journal

Here’s a look at the wind levels impacting the country at the moment:

There are still major delays on northern commuter trains into Dublin.

There is currently a tree on the line between Raheny and Killester, adding to delays. 

Elsewhere, Irish Rail has warned that there are currently delays of up to 44 minutes due to flooding.

'Never seen anything like it'

Here’s more images of the River Dodder this morning.

IMG_1209 The River Dodder. The Journal The Journal

The Dodder Road Lower has been completely closed due to flooding.

A local resident told The Journal that the flooding from the river was “unbelievable”.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” the resident said, adding that their house was spared from the high floodwaters.

It has caused the complete chaos here.

“For it to get that bad is, it’s concerning, especially for the residents of this road up to the bottom of the road, I’d say it’s very scary for them this morning.”

IMG_1212 The River Dodder. The Journal The Journal

A number of ferry services have also been impacted by the stormy conditions.

Three Stena Line sailings due to travel from Dublin to Holyhead have been cancelled so far today, as well as two ferries due to travel from Rosslare to Fishguard.

Five ferries due to depart from Belfast have also been cancelled.

A Stena Line spoesperson told The Journal that “a number of changes” to their scheduled ferry services are expected throughout the day.

Here’s a look at some of the flooding on Dublin’s Enniskerry Road from earlier this morning.

dublin-irland-10-august-2017-terminal-2-at-dublin-airport-dub-in-irland Dublin Airport. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

There was been “some disruption” at Dublin Airport, but things are looking a bit better now, according to DAA spokesperson Graeme McQueen.

“The weather is certainly much improved here at Dublin Airport,” he told RTÉ’s David McCullagh, adding that it was a “pretty quiet” day at the airport with 55,000 passengers due to travel through. 

McQueen said there were some cancellations of the smaller propeller flights operated by Emerald Airlines to Donegal, the Isle of Man and Birmingham, but most flights are operating as normal albeit there are “some delays around the place”.

“That’s not just because of issues here in Ireland, but also airports in UK and Europe.”

However, he said Dublin Airport is expecting things to possibly get a bit worse later this afternoon due to higher wind speeds. 

For those due to fly today, he advised them to keep in close contact with their airline and keep checking their social media accounts and websites for any updates on their flight.

“We’re hopeful we’ll get as many people away as possible.” 

There is still “significant disruption” on the M50 due to flooding. 

Sean O’Neill, director of communications for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), told RTÉ’s David McCullagh that the road between Junction 13 Dundrum and Junction 12 Firhouse is still closed northbound due to flooding. 

“We have tanker trucks there now, pumps have been going, we’re trying to obviously deal with the situation there,” he said. 

There has also been significant flooding on the M11 at Junction 8, with crews working to resolve it. 

O’Neill advised anyone who can work from home do to so, but said that for those who have already made the journey into work, they’re likely to have a difficult commute home.

“It is going to be a difficult, difficult travel conditions for the day. I’d say this is going to continue for a few hours more, but the crews are on site. We’re dealing with it,” he said. 

There has also been some severe flooding near Bunclody in Co Wexford, where the River Slaney burst its banks after persistent rain overnight. 

Here are some photos from the area. 

a-view-of-the-overflowing-river-slaney-in-clohamon-near-bunclody-co-wexford-ireland-hundreds-of-schools-are-closed-and-tens-of-thousands-of-people-are-without-power-as-storm-chandra-batters-the-i A view of the overflowing River Slaney in Clohamon near Bunclody, Co Wexford. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

people-walking-through-flooded-roads-in-bunclody-co-wexford-hundreds-of-schools-are-closed-and-tens-of-thousands-of-people-are-without-power-as-storm-chandra-batters-the-island-of-ireland-picture People walking through flooded roads in Bunclody. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

a-fire-engine-drives-through-a-flooded-road-in-bunclody-co-wexford-ireland-hundreds-of-schools-are-closed-and-tens-of-thousands-of-people-are-without-power-as-storm-chandra-batters-the-island-of A fire engine driving through a flooded road in Bunclody. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

a-man-photographs-the-overflowing-river-slaney-in-bunclody-co-wexford-ireland-hundreds-of-schools-are-closed-and-tens-of-thousands-of-people-are-without-power-as-storm-chandra-batters-the-island A man photographing the overflowing river. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

'It was scary'

IMG_6151 Flooding on the Dodder Road Lower. The Journal The Journal

The Dodder Road Lower has been completely closed due to flooding this morning. 

Residents on the road, who moved there in 2022, told The Journal that it was their first time seeing flooding to that extent. 

“We’ve seen it once before, where it was over at the [River] Dodder, but it didn’t come out onto the road,” one woman said.

“In November, we were away on holidays and we could see on the camera there was flooding on the road again, but our neighbour said not to this extent.”

She said they had been up since about 6.30am watching the area flooding.

“It was scary,” she said. “Half seven and half eight was very scary, because we could see it getting closer and closer.”

After calling Dublin Fire Brigade, she said they came and taped the road off at around 8am. She said the water hasn’t made it as far as their driveway, but their back garden is flooded. 

“We’re hoping that the rain will stop because there’s been so much water in the river over the last week or two, so it was already high. This has exacerbated it.”

The woman said the county council told them the flooding could have been caused by a blocked drain or the water levels in the river that were already high. 

“If we know there’s a storm coming, areas that are normally affected should be high priority, you know? One drain is going to block up and then it affects the whole flow of everything. So the county council need to get out and have a look at it.”

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

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. 

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.

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.”

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.

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. 

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

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. 

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

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.

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).

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

Louth County Council is reporting some flooding in Drogheda.

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. 

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.

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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