Weather warning: Flooding expected following thundery downpours on Thursday night

Some roads in Cork were impassable on Thursday morning due to torrential rain

After a night of torrential rain, the river Roury broke its banks at 4am causing flooding in Rosscarbery and causing parts of the N71 to close. Photograph: Andy Gibson
After a night of torrential rain, the river Roury broke its banks at 4am causing flooding in Rosscarbery and causing parts of the N71 to close. Photograph: Andy Gibson

Heavy downpours and thunderstorms on Thursday night are expected to result in localised flooding in the south of the country, Met Éireann has warned.

The weather warning came after heavy flooding in Cork on Thursday morning left several roads in the county impassable following a torrential downpour.

A new status yellow thunder warning for Munster was issued from 3pm on Thursday to midnight.

The forecaster said that thunderstorms could be expected in parts of the province during this period, bringing torrential downpours and possible hail, and the risk of some spot flooding.

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On Thursday morning, the very heavy rain occurred between midnight and 4am, and there were very heavy downpours, thunder and lightning in some parts of the country.

According to Met Éireann, there was 35mm of rain between midnight and 3am at Thomastown in Kilkenny and 22mm in one hour at Cork Airport at 3am.

There was flooding in Rosscarbery in Co Cork and also there was heavy rain around in Galway as well.

West Cork was particularly badly hit by the heavy rain, with the main artery west from Cork city, the N71, impassable at Rosscarbery, Connonagh and Leap between Clonakilty and Skibbereen.

Former Cork South-West TD Jim Daly tweeted video footage from Rosscarbery which showed a business premises near the turnoff for Glandore surrounded by flood waters up to window-sill level.

Cork County Council put its staff on standby on Thursday night in anticipation of further flooding. A spokeswoman said that while flood waters from the first bout of torrential rain may have abated, road edges may have been undermined or eroded and care was necessary.

There is extensive damage to roads and property in west Cork and motorists and all road users are advised to exercise extreme caution on roadways that have been affected, added the spokeswoman.

Barry Roche

Barry Roche

Barry Roche is Southern Correspondent of The Irish Times

Shauna Bowers

Shauna Bowers

Shauna Bowers is Health Correspondent of The Irish Times