After nearly two weeks of relentless rain and the aftermath of Storm Chandra, conditions across the east of the country are finally beginning to ease, though authorities are warning that flooding risks have not yet passed in Dublin, Wicklow, and Meath.
According to Met Éireann, rainfall has started to die down following a very wet night, with the heaviest rain in the east and north-east gradually easing through the morning. However, some weather warnings will remain in place unti noon today (Feb 6). A Status Orange rain warning continues for Dublin and Wicklow until 9am, while Status Yellow warnings remain active for Dublin and Meath until noon, and for Kildare until 9am. The forecaster has warned that high river levels, surface water and coastal overtopping remain key concerns despite improving conditions.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Keith Leonard, Director of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, urged commuters to remain cautious. “The advice is to just slow down, be very cognisant of the road conditions, be very careful of other road users like cyclists and pedestrians,” he said. He again stressed the dangers of driving through floodwater, noting that emergency crews have had to rescue people from trapped cars every day this week.
Local authorities have been on the ground since early morning. Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council confirmed crews have been working since 5am clearing surface water, with no major routes affected, though some flooding has been reported on Enniskerry Road, which remains passable. South Dublin County Council said it received a small number of emergency calls overnight, with all roads currently open, while urging motorists to be wary of standing water.
Mr Leonard warned that rainfall over Dublin and the Wicklow Mountains will continue to feed into river systems over the next 24 to 48 hours, potentially affecting parts of south Dublin and Kildare. “We won’t really know the full impacts until later today and early tomorrow,” he said, adding that emergency services remain on full alert through the weekend.
While public transport disruptions and hazardous conditions persist in places, the easing rain has brought cautious relief after an exceptionally wet and disruptive spell for the region.
