Rain and thunderstorm warning upgraded to status orange for some counties

Eva Osborne

Met Éireann has upgraded a status yellow rain and thunderstorm warning to orange for counties Dublin, Louth, and Meath from midnight on Sunday night until 2pm on Monday.

The weather forecaster said there will be persistent and heavy rain with a chance of thunderstorms.

Possible impacts include widespread surface flooding, very difficult travelling conditions, lightning damage, and very poor visibility.

Meanwhile, counties Kildare, Wicklow, and Monaghan will remain under a status yellow warning from midnight until 2pm on Monday.

They will face spells of heavy rain with a chance of isolated thunderstorms as well as localised flooding, poor visibility, and difficult travelling conditions.

Up to 50 millimetres of rain is expected from midnight in Dublin.

Dublin City Council said the flood gates on the lower Dodder are being closed from Ballsbridge to Landsdowne Road bridge early on Monday as a precaution.

It said all drainage on-call crews are coming in early in the morning and high tide levels are forecast to be at a low level on Monday.

Earlier, counties Clare and Cork were under a status yellow thunderstorm warning until 7pm.

In the north, Antrim, Armagh, and Down are under an amber rain warning from the UK Met Office. Very heavy rainfall is expected on Sunday night, leading to the potential for flooding.

This warning is in place from 11pm on Sunday night until 8am on Monday morning. Afterwards, a yellow rain warning will be in place until 6pm on Monday evening.