Weekend rain may not be as heavy as initial forecasts

A weather system which is due to hit Ireland on Friday evening is not expected to be as severe as first thought, according to Met Éireann.

A status orange rainfall warning for the southwest is being maintained for Saturday, but predictive models are now showing that amounts are likely to peak at 50 millimetres rather than the previously-stated worst case scenario of 80 millimetres in parts of the west.

There may be snow in the midlands for a time late tomorrow morning as a wet front approaching from Kerry meets cold air coming from the north, but by-and-large there will be “normal-type” rain over the course of Saturday compared to last weekend’s deluges according to forecaster Evelyn Cusack.

Water levels are still rising along the river Shannon according to the Office of Public Works (OPW) but this has slowed over the last 24 hours during which a maximum rise of two inches was registered in the Athlone area, compared to increases of three inches in each of the previous two days.

That said, warnings remain in place for areas within the Shannon’s mid and lower catchment areas including Westmeath, Clare and Limerick, and local authorities have been urged to convene flood assessment teams with the weekend’s rain likely to add to surplus flooding.

It also emerged on Friday that Ireland has sought the assistance of mapping experts in the European Emergency Centre to keep track of rising flood waters.

Officials from the OPW confirmed that satellite mapping data has now been shared with Ireland by the European Emergency Centre, which utilises images from the European Space Agency’s Copernicus programme to provide detailed images of flood plains which may prove “very helpful”.

“We have requested assistance from the European Emergency Centre in Brussels, they do have access to advance satellite systems, and we have requested them to monitor the floods as they’ve evolved over the past few days and indeed over the coming days,” said Jim Casey of the OPW.

The Department of Social Protection indicated that there has been a slow response from members of the public to the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, with less than 100 applications for help so far.

Emergency clinics where people can register for funds to pay for food, bedding, clothing and temporary accommodation have been set up in Ballinasloe and Crossmolina, and further centres may be opened in Clare, Limerick and Athlone depending on the severity of the weekend’s events.

Applications for assistance are means-tested but help can be accessed by anyone affected by the severe weather, according to spokeswoman Helen Faughnan.

“This is not just available to people in receipt of social welfare payments, it’s open to any member of the public who has an urgent need, and even people with a relatively high income can benefit from this scheme,” she said.

Elsewhere Tom Browne from the ESB said volumes of water release from Lough Derg are still at 375 cubic metres per second for today as water levels in the lake have stabilised, but said this is likely to be increased over the coming days.

Discharge at Iniscarra Dam along the river Lee has also been kept consistent, but he said the river is “bank-full with some localised flooding of fields and roads between Iniscarra and Cork city”.

Irish Water say the boil water notice currently in place for Ballinasloe is likely to continue until Monday, but added that the town’s water supply has been testing clear all week after fears of contamination following the flooding of a water treatment plant in the area.

There are currently 500 Defence Forces members on the ground helping with flood relief efforts in areas such as Ballinasloe, Athlone and Castleconnell in Limerick, and further personnel are at the ready to help should the situation worsen over the weekend.