LAST UPDATE | 17 Feb

A STATUS YELLOW rain warning issued by Met Éireann in now in effect for 17 counties.

The national forecaster has placed all of Leinster, as well as counties Cavan, Monaghan, Cork, Tipperary and Waterford under a rain warning from 11pm tonight to 11pm tomorrow.

It warned that rain falling on already saturated ground combined with high river levels will lead to flooding, poor visibility and difficult travelling conditions.

Separately, counties Wexford, Wicklow, Dublin, Meath and Louth have been placed under a Status Yellow wind warning.

Met Éireann has warned that strong and gusty southeasterly winds combined with high tides may lead to wave overtopping, fallen trees and loose debris and difficult travelling conditions.

The warning will be valid from 11pm tonight to 1pm tomorrow.

Gardaí have also urged road users to take extra care as the warnings come into effect.

In a statement, gardaí said that spells of heavy rain and strong winds are expected to lead to difficult travelling conditions due to flooding and poor visibility, particularly on already saturated roads.

They warned that inappropriate speed for the prevailing conditions is as dangerous as exceeding the speed limit, noting that recent weeks have already seen significant disruption to travel networks.

Surface water levels are expected to be high tonight and tomorrow in several counties including Dublin, Wicklow, Meath, Wexford, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Waterford, with elevated levels forecast elsewhere.

Gardaí said motorists should allow extra time for journeys, be alert for fallen debris or flooding, and avoid unnecessary travel where possible during the warnings issued by Met Éireann.