Poor weather to continue after heavy rain and wind yesterday

The gales of early November returned yesterday with heavy rain and gusts of 70 m.p.h. in many areas, with poor conditions expected to continue over the weekend.

Worst hit was the south-west, but the storms moved north-eastwards during the day.

The Valentia weather station recorded 34 mm of rain yesterday morning, much more than normal. Bad flooding was reported in parts of Kerry and west Limerick, particularly between Killarney and Killorglin. Council workers broke down some roadside walls to reduce floods.

AA Roadwatch urged drivers to avoid Mallow and Fermoy as the Blackwater river had flooded. "There have been lots of accidents," it said. "There was a bad accident on the road between Newmarket-on-Fergus and Shannon and several accidents in Kildare. Traffic was horrendous in Dublin." Met Eireann's stations in Valentia, Rosslare, Shannon, Kilkenny and Birr confirmed the wettest autumn on record.

The biggest increase in rainfall in November was recorded by the Baldonnel station in west Dublin.

There, rainfall was more than twice the normal level while sunshine levels were 75 per cent less than normal.

While conditions are expected to be calmer this morning, Met Eireann has warned that more rain and wind will develop throughout the day.

"We expect rain and wind at this time of year but this has been very unsettled," it said.

Stena Line operated only one fast ferry service from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire yesterday morning but was hoping to run the 6.30 a.m. service today from Dun Laoghaire.

Stena Line's conventional ferry was operating yesterday but was more than four hours behind schedule.

Passengers should contact Stena's information line on (01) 2047799 to confirm today's sailings.

The Irish Ferries Pembroke-Rosslare service was delayed by almost four hours last night due to adverse weather conditions, with the 9.30 p.m. service to Pembroke badly affected. The fast ferry service to Holyhead was cancelled, but the conventional ferry ran as normal from Dublin Port. Passengers should contact Irish Ferries at (01) 6610715 or 1890 313131 before travelling.