Fallen trees and flash flooding as Storm Ewan sweeps country

Met Eireann issued orange alert for Sunday with gusts up to 120km/h forecast

Flash flooding and fallen trees resulted from strong winds and heavy rain as Storm Ewan swept across the country on Sunday.

Met Eireann had issued an orange level wind warning for gusts of up to 120km/h forecast. The warning expired at 3pm on Sunday as conditions began to calm down.

The second highest level of alert was for southern and southeastern coastal counties including Waterford, Cork, Kerry and Wexford. A lower yellow level wind warning was issued for much of Leinster.

Met Eireann forecasts gusts of up to 110km/h in Dublin, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Wicklow, Offaly, Westmeath, Meath, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary.

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Gardai urged motorists to drive with care and said there were reports of flash flooding between Tuam and Ballinasloe in Co Galway.

There are reports of fallen trees on several roads including near Punchestown Racecourse in Co, Kildare, and on the Dublin Road in Dundalk , according to AA Roadwatch. It said council staff were dealing with fallen fencing on Catherine Street in Waterford. A fallen tree was removed on Sunday after it was blocking the Midleton to Rathcormac road in Co Cork, according to AA Roadwatch.

The N85 Ennistymon to Ennis road was closed at Kilnamona in Co Clare due to flooding . There was also surface water on roads near Kilmaley in Co Clare , according to AA Roadwatch.

A status orange gale warning remains effect for sea areas with storm force gusts expected on coasts from Malin Head to Carnsore Point and Valentia as well as the Irish Sea, and this is accompanied by a status yellow small craft warning.

Biting cold and wintry showers will be the norm for the early part of next week with temperatures dropping to -1 over Sunday night, when some snowfall may occur over high ground.

Monday will see highest values of between 4 and 7 degrees with "one or two snow flurries possible at lower levels" according to Met Éireann.

A sharp to severe frost is expected to develop over Monday night as temperatures plummet to -3 in places, and while many areas will remain dry overnight there is a risk of snow showers along Atlantic coasts.

Light dustings of snow are again a possibility over the course of Tuesday, when temperatures are expected to recover to between 6 and 9 degrees. The middle part of the week will be windy, with scattered showers and unsettled weather persisting until Thursday at least.

It follows Storm Doris earlier this week which on Thursday saw up to 56,000 homes without power as powerful winds resulted in more than 900 individual faults across the network.

During the orange level weather alert, the gusts reached hurricane force 12 in some areas, with the highest wind of 133km/h recorded at Mace Head in Co Galway, according to Met Éireann.