Thousands of homes and businesses are without power after high winds and rain brought down trees and made travelling conditions difficult on Tuesday.
A status yellow warning for rain came into effect for counties Wexford and Wicklow at 9pm and runs until 4am.
Spells of heavy rain are expected, which the forecaster warned could lead to localised flooding, difficult travelling conditions, and poor visibility.
Other effects include wave overtopping and flooding on coasts due to a combination of spring tides, surge and very strong onshore winds.
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Heavy rainfall has also caused surface flooding in parts of Cork City.
Travelling conditions are difficult with downed trees, branches and debris. The ESB has advised anyone who comes upon fallen wires to keep away.
Travelling conditions are also difficult due to heavy rain and poor visibility.
A yellow wind warning for all of Munster as well as counties Galway, Mayo and Sligo expired at 9pm and most of the power cuts are in the south of the country.
What Met Éireann described as “very strong and gusty south-easterly winds” has led to power cuts for thousands of homes south of a line from Galway to Dublin.
The ESB Networks Power Check app shows widespread blackouts have affected properties from Portmagee in Co Kerry, through Crosshaven in Co Cork, Cork City, and as far east as Dublin and Arklow in Co Wicklow.
Faults recorded on the app are also showing multiple power cuts in counties Limerick, Tipperary and Kilkenny.
Dublin Fire Brigade reported a falling tree at Malahide Road, Swords, Co Dublin, brought down power lines which then landed on a car.
The brigade was not immediately available for comment on the situation.
Images from the brigade’s social media feed showed a car stationary in the road with the driver’s door open and a power cable across the roof.
The route is closed to traffic.
In Adamstown, west Dublin, the ESB was reporting more than 3,000 premises without power. A further 1,000 near Bray, Co Wicklow, were similarly affected.
ESB crews have been working to reconnect homes as the faults occur, with the Power Check app providing estimated repair times stretching into Wednesday night.
ESB Networks said it would have more precise figures available later on Tuesday night.
The utility provider said that while emergency repair crews have successfully restored supply to tens of thousands of premises over the course of the day, some homes – particularly in the south, west, and midlands – will remain without electricity overnight.
More generally, the weather on Tuesday night is to be wet for a time across eastern and northeastern parts, with an ongoing chance of localised flooding at first tonight.
Drier and clearer conditions to the south and west will gradually extend to all parts overnight, with scattered showers following from the Atlantic.
Strong and gusty southeasterly winds will ease to light to moderate southerly overland as the rain clears, but winds will continue fresh to strong along coasts. Temperatures will range from 10 to 14 degrees.
Wednesday will be a bright, fresh day with a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers. Some of the showers will be heavy, with a chance of isolated thunderstorms.
Temperatures will range from 15 to 18 degrees. There will be moderate southerly winds, which will be fresher for a time in the west and northwest.
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