No let-up before Thursday in wave of gales and rain

There was widespread flooding last night, particularly in the south and southwest, caused by high tides, heavy rain and gale force winds. Gales were forecast on all Irish coastal waters and many ferry services were cancelled. The unsettled weather - involving high winds, rain and unseasonally high temperatures - is expected to continue until Thursday.

Met Eireann reported that up to two inches of rain fell in parts of Munster throughout the day yesterday, with an average of 1 1/2 inches in the west and midlands. The east, and Dublin in particular, where it rained all day, got off lightest, with the Dublin mountains blocking the southerly winds.

Last night's high tide in Cork at 7.30 p.m. led to flooding in low-lying areas of the city centre. Several country roads were also flooded and gardai closed off stretches of the Lee Road, Cloghroe Road and Inniscarra Road on the western side of the city.

There was also flooding on the quays in Waterford, following a 4.4 metre high tide, as well as heavy winds and rain. Flooding was also reported on roads around Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir in Co Tipperary, as well as in Midleton, Co Cork. In Co Mayo, the Ballyvary to Foxford road was blocked following the collapse of a wall, while secondary roads in counties Carlow and Kildare were blocked by fallen trees. According to the AA, as many as seven weather-related accidents took place during a 1 1/2-hour period yesterday. All Stena line sailings from and to Dun Laoghaire were cancelled at 11 a.m yesterday, while last night's Irish Ferries Isle of Inishmore sailing from Dublin was cancelled. Today's sailings will depend on the weather.

Cork Ferries cancelled last night's sailing of its superferry from Cork and this morning's sailing from Swansea. A Swansea-Cork Ferries spokesperson said the next sailing of the superferry from Cork would be tomorrow, ( weather permitting. In West Cork, the main Bandon-Dunmanway Road was heavily flooded for a time yesterday, two miles outside Enniskeane, and several cars were stalled. In East Cork, the combination of high tides in Cork Harbour and heavy rain resulted in some localised flooding on the main CorkCobh road near Fota and gardai urged motorists to exercise caution.

Parts of Co Wexford were without electricity for a time after a tree fell on power lines near New Ross. Greyhound racing in Enniscorthy was called off last night as were all Leinster Colleges junior rugby cup matches.

Ms Lorraine Keane of the Automobile Association said last night that driving conditions throughout the country were "extremely bad" and in view of the forecast advised that motorists drive with great care. At Met Eireann Mr John Eagleton said there were some "very unsettled days ahead" as a series of fronts crossed the country "one after the other, like a conveyor belt". Commenting on the temperatures, which rose to 14 Celsius in Dublin, 15 at Shannon, 14 degrees at Rosslare and Belfast yesterday, he said they were "remarkably high for the time of year", but that usually in winter such temperatures were accompanied by high winds and heavy rain. It would probably be cooler and drier by the weekend.