LAST UPDATE | 4 Feb

A STATUS ORANGE rain warning has been issued for Wicklow and Waterford.

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

The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) also met once more today and has warned that the country is “entering another challenging phase over Thursday and Friday”.

It has “emphasised” that heavy rain in one county can impact on flood-prone areas in another even where less significant rain has fallen due to river flows.

In Wicklow, there will be potential impacts along the entire course of the river, the forecaster said.

All outdoor crews and contractors in the county have been working to clear drains and gullies that have become blocked with flood debris, while roads subject to flooding and structural damage have been closed to traffic.

Waterford City and County Council has also warned of potential river flooding and localised flooding.

With a tidal surge forecast, flood defence barriers in Waterford will be activated in Waterford city and will remain closed until after high tide passes on Friday morning at 8.30am.

Passage East will also close and remain closed until high tide passes at 8.20am tomorrow.

Meanwhile, car parks at Davitt’s Quays, The Pond, The Lookout, and Castle Street will close from 7pm this evening until 10am tomorrow, and again from 7pm Thursday evening.

The orange warning will kick in at 3am and remain in place until 3am on Friday.

Counties Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Louth, Wexford, Monaghan, Tipperary meanwhile have all been issued with a Yellow warning for the same time period.

Elsewhere, a weather advisory for Ireland runs up until Monday 9 February, with spells of heavy and persistent rainfall, particularly in southern and eastern coastal counties.

Dublin City Council’s Flood Management Team has warned that river levels remain high and there is a high tides advisory in place, with further rainfall expected on already saturated ground.

Dublin City Council is continuing to keep car parks along coasts at Sandymount and Clontarf closed to protect against possible wave overtopping, and the cycle lane at Clontarf will also remain closed as a precautionary measure.

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

Met Éireann forecaster Andrew Doran-Sherlock told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that today will see some rain and drizzle mainly in the north and northwest of the country, though heavy showers will feed in from the south later. 

He said the rain will push up from the south from late tonight and into tomorrow, falling heaviest and most frequently in the south, south-east, east and north-east of the country.

“That’s continuing through Thursday night and Friday as well. There will be some significant accumulations in places,” Doran-Sherlock said. 

The wet weather will ease slightly on Saturday, with Sunday currently looking like it will be the driest day of the week. 

“But really, as we head into next week, there isn’t quite a let up. It’s still going to be dominated by low pressure, I’m afraid,” he added. 

Yesterday, the chair of the NECG said tomorrow would be a “pinch point” amid concerns that further rain could lead to flooding across Dublin and Wicklow.

Keith Leonard said local authorities “everywhere”, but particularly in the Dublin area, are on “full alert for potential flooding across the week”.

There has been significant rainfall over the last few weeks, including during Storm Chandra, which led to flooding and transport disruption in the east of the country. 

River levels remain high, and the ground is still saturated as a result, with Doran-Sherlock stating that at this stage, “any amount of any further rain or showers could lead to larger impacts”.

We’re dealing with further heavy rain coming on already poor situations that could lead to further impacts.

He also said it’s important to note that there are some delayed responses in some rivers and catchment areas, meaning that the risk of flooding “doesn’t necessarily stop just because the rain has stopped”. He urged people to pay attention to the weather conditions and to check river gauge data.

Flooding scheme expanded

The government has confirmed an expansion of Emergency Humanitarian Flooding Support to help small businesses and community, voluntary and sports organisations that have suffered damage.

The previous limit of €20,000 has been expanded to €100,000 and the definition of a small business changed to companies with up to 50 employees, up from 20.

🗣️ “Flood relief schemes take time, and it’s really important — when communities don’t have time — that we work with the local authorities to say what more can happen in the here and now,” @SimonHarrisTD#TonightVMTV #Flooding pic.twitter.com/y9nCrJsOZx

— TonightVMTV (@TonightVMTV) February 3, 2026

Areas hit by flooding in recent days have criticised the government due to the lack of flood relief schemes, with Public Expenditure minister Jack Chambers acknowledging that their delivery has been “too slow”. 

Speaking on Virgin Media’s Tonight Show last night, Tánaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris said the schemes take time.

“It’s really important when our communities don’t have time, we work with the local authorities to say ‘what more can happen in the here and now to deliver flood relief in your community?’,” he said. 

Harris said flood relief infrastructure must be reclassified as critical infrastructure, and that it’s “absolutely essential” that it is part of a critical infrastructure Bill that will be introduced this year. 

He also said that temporary measures in some areas “have made a real difference in communities”. 

“We won’t be found wanting in terms of anything that can be done right now.”