ESB warns Shannon level rising as snow, ice and rain forecast

The ESB has said it must increase discharge through the Parteen Weir on the Shannon after water levels rose in Lough Derg overnight, due to heavy rain.

The increase through the weir, from 375 to 405 cubic metres a second, is likely to lead to more flooding of roads, land and property downstream, including at Springfield, Montpellier, Castleconnell, Mountshannon/Annacotty and the University of Limerick.

Speaking at a meeting of the National Emergency Coordination Group in Dublin on Saturday morning, spokesman for the ESB, Tom Brown also said flow may have to be increased further later today or on Sunday.

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Snowfall covers Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon on Saturday morning. Photograph: Niamh Towey/The Irish Times

He said it was very difficult to model what the effects will be of increasing the water flow through the weir. Other tributaries going into that part of the Shannon could also put a lot of water into the system and cause the river to rise.

“Precisely what that rise will be, will very much depend on other things that are actually happening in the area and it is something that is under constant observation by the local authorities,” Mr Brown said.

A Met Éireann status orange weather warning remains in place for counties Kerry, Clare and Cork, while a yellow alert remains in place for Munster, much of Leinster and much of Connacht. Both alerts are valid until midnight.

There has been localised around Dublin. The Strawberry Beds is currently flooded and roads are impassable, according to AA Roadwatch.

Snow is falling in the north west, including counties Mayo, Leitrim and Roscommon and Met Éireann has warned of sleet and snow this evening.

The significant rainfall overnight produced widespread flooding on roads, John Barry, chairman of the emergency group said.

A small numbers of dwellings had been evacuated overnight, he said, and there was potential for more homes and businesses to be effected through the day.

Jim Casey, from the Office of Public Works, said Loughrea, in the mid-Shannon catchment area, showed a rise of three inches with a one inch rise in the lower catchment.

Based on the models available, they believed levels would peak on Sunday into Monday.

Head of forecasting at Met Éireann, Gerald Fleming, said up to 50 millimetres of rain had fallen in parts of the south west of the country overnight. Clare, Limerick and Tipperary had recorded falls of up to 40 millimetres, while rain fall in the Midlands and Dublin was up to 35 millimetres.

He said snow in Monaghan and Cavan had added to difficulties and the cold air was moving southwards.

“We will see a temporary, but quite nasty snow and ice situation for this evening and tonight,” he said.

The week ahead would be wetter than average for the time of year and would not improve significantly for the longer term.

The Department of Social Protection said it was assisting people through its means-tested Humanitarian Assistance Scheme.

Fewer than 100 payments have so far been made through the scheme, spokeswoman Helen Faughnan said, as “it generally takes time for people to get in touch”.

She said community welfare staff had been making house calls in affected areas and providing money towards replacement food, clothes, bedding, fuel and items such as phone top-ups.

Superintendent John Ferris from the Garda Press Office, asked people to recognise changing local road conditions. He said all roads are wet in the country and the fall in temperature would produce “ice virtually on all roads”. He advised motorists to slow down. He also asked that people check in with neighbours who may be isolated.

Athlone remains at severe risk of flooding with the National Co-Ordination warning that the combination of sandbag barriers and pumps used to protect homes and businesses today may not be able to cope with rising water levels.

Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly said on Saturday the flooding was “very bad” from an infrastructure point of view and said flooding on this scale “has never been seen before”.

He told the Marian Finucane programme on RTÉ Radio One that it would take a couple of days for the water to work its way through the channels and into the Shannon.

“Sunday, Monday Tuesday are going to be the days where we see the absolute impact of this.”

Mr Kelly said he was planning to bring a memo to Cabinet next Tuesday to try and help deal with some of the infrastructural issues.

He rejected a suggestion that more could have been done to prepare for the floods, but accepted that there was “definitely an issue around some smaller rivers being blocked with rubbish and not cleared”.

He said this was often down to personal behaviour which was not acceptable.

The flooding is causing issues for motorists and AA Roadwatch said a number of roads in Connacht, Ulster and Co Clare were either blocked or had large volumes of surface water.

Road closures - AA Roadwatch

KILDARE:

The Barberstown/ Celbridge Rd is closed due to flooding. Use an alternative route.

The Taghadoe/ Celbridge Rd is closed due to flooding. Use an alternative route.

WICKLOW:

There is flooding on the N11 Wexford/ Dublin Rd at J6A Enniskerry. Take extreme caution on approach. Nearby, the Enniskerry/ Bray Rd (R117) is now impassable at the Twenty Bends Rd.

LONGFORD:

Slushy conditions reported around Longford Town following recent snow showers. Slow down and take care.

Flooding is affecting a number of routes in the Knappoge area of Cloondara. Use alternative routes.

CAVAN:

The Moyne/ Arvagh Rd (R198) is closed from Moyne Cross to the county bounds due to flooding

MEATH:

Gardai are advising motorists in the Oldcastle and Kingscourt area to drive with care following a heavy fall of snow this morning.

LOUTH:

There are reports of spot flooding on the N51 Drogheda/ Navan Rd (via Slane). Take extra caution if driving on this route.

The Dunleer/ Clogherhead Rd (R166) is impassable at Mayne due to flooding. Take an alternative route.

KERRY:

The River Blackwater has burst its banks near Rathmore on the N72 Mallow/ Killarney Rd. Take extra care on the N72 at this stretch and also on the adjoining Rathmore/ Ballydesmond Rd (R582) as flooding is likely.

CLARE:

The Cratloe/ Sixmilebridge Rd (R462) is closed due to flooding. Avoid the area.

The Ennis/ Milltown Malbay Rd (R474) is closed between Beechpark and the River Inch due to flooding.

There is spot flooding on the Gort Rd in Ennis between the Ashfield Park jct and Parnell Grove.

The O’Callaghansmills/ Broadford Rd (R466) is impassable due to flooding. Diversions are in place.

Care is needed around the Clonlara area due to flooding.

Excess surface water to contend with on the N68 Ennis/ Kilrush Rd.

TIPPERARY:

The N65 Portumna/ Borrisokane Rd is closed on the Portumna side of Carrigahorig due to flooding. Diversions will be signposted.

CORK:

The N71 Clonakilty/ Bantry Rd is closed until further notice at Skibbereen between the Cork Rd R/A and the Marsh Rd R/A due to flooding. Diversions will be in place.

The Macroom/ Dunmanway Rd (R587) is impassable at Ardcahan Bridge.

Flooding has been reported on the N40 South Ring Rd westbound flyover at J3 Bandon Rd.

Flooding on the Leemount/ Cloghroe Rd.

Spot flooding has been reported on local roads around Kiskeam.

GALWAY:

Spot flooding has been reported on the M18 Ennis/ Galway Rd northbound between Tubber and Gort.

The Ballindine/ Dunmore Rd (R328) is closed due to flooding.

The Williamstown/ Dunmore Rd (R360) is closed at Kilnaleg Cross following flooding and diversions are in place.

Temporary traffic lights are in place for flooding on the N65 at Portumna Bridge. Expect some delays.

The Ballinasloe/ Mountbellew Rd (R358) is closed at Derrymullen.

MAYO:

The Crossmolina/ Pontoon Rd (R315) is closed between Lahardane and Pontoon at Brown’s Bay due to flooding. Diversions are in place via Crossmolina, Ballina and Knockmore.

The Ballinrobe/ Glencorrib Rd (R334) is closed at The Neale and Cross due to flooding and motorists are advised to use the N84 instead.

The N60 Castlebar/ Claremorris Rd is down to one lane again on the Claremorris side of Balla at Heathlawn due to flooding. Temporary traffic lights are in place.

A number of local roads around Ballinrobe are closed due to flooding including the Clonbur Rd and the Roundfort Rd.

The Green Rd in Foxford is closed as a result of flooding.

Barrett St in Ballina Town is closed along with Bachelors Walk due to flooding

SLIGO:

The Tubbercurry/ Gurteen Rd (R294) is closed at Quarryfield due to flooding, as well as the local road at Leitrim South. Diversions are in place.

The Collooney/ Ballysadare Rd (R290/ Old N4) remains closed due to flooding.

The Carraroe Rd/ Ballygawley Rd (R284) between Carraroe and Jink’s Cross along with the Oakfield/ Carraoe Rd at Ballyfree Bridge are still closed following flooding.

The Carraroe/ Dromahair Rd (R287) is closed between Aughamore Crossroads and Correagh Crossroads due to flooding along with the local road between Aughamore and Jinks Cross.

Flooding remains an issue on the Ballymote/ Templehouse Rd.

There are road closures around Collooney due to flooding, including on the Knockbeg Rd.

The N59 Sligo/ Ballina Rd has flooded again at Corhawnagh and at Stonehall.

Flooding is still a problem on the Tullylin/ Enniscrone Rd (R298) at Lacknaslevia.

LEITRIM:

The N4 Sligo/ Dublin Rd in Carrick-on-Shannon is still closed at Shannonside Retail Park due to flooding. Diversions are in place.

Quay St in Carrick-on-Shannon is closed due to flooding and diversions are in place.

The Manorhamilton/ Carrick-on-Shannon Rd (R280) is down to one lane through Leitrim village. There is flooding also on this route on either side of the village. As well as that, the Keadue Rd remains flooded (R284) outside Leitrim village.

Slushy conditions have been reported around Carrick on Shannon following recent snow showers.

DONEGAL:

Intermittent snow showers resulting in slippery conditions around Barnesmore Gap and Ballybofey.

CAVAN:

There is flooding on the old Belturbet/ Cavan Rd in the Bunn Lake area. Gardaí are advising to avoid the area.

Flooding is a problem on the Ballinagh/ Oldcastle Rd (R154) at Cavancoulter and again around Ballinagh. Use other routes.

The Killashandra/ Milltown Rd (R201) is closed due to flooding.

IRISH RAIL:

The line was closed between Longford & Dromod due to flooding until Saturday. “There will be reduced capacity on some services and bus transfers are in operation between Carrick-on-Shannon & Longford.”

Icy patches forecast

Met Éireann said rain, possibly turning to snow at times, would linger across the south of Munster and Leinster on Saturday evening and night, with the rain extending more northwards later in the night. Otherwise dry with clearing skies and a sharp to severe frost (icy stretches occurring on untreated road). Lowest temperatures of -3 to +3 degrees, coldest in the north. Light to moderate northeasterly winds.

On Sunday, rain was forecast tobe persistent across the western half of the country but it will be lighter and more broken elsewhere. “The rain will continue across Ulster and Connacht during the afternoon but drier conditions will develop elsewhere in southerly winds. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees,” the forecaster said.

Conditions will be less wet by Sunday night, with some patches of rain and drizzle predicted, mainly around coastal areas.

Met Éireann says the rest of the week will be unsettled, changeable and windy, but “relatively mild for December”.