THE heavy rain which caused flooding and widespread traffic disruption yesterday morning has eased, but the weather will remain unsettled over the next few days.
There will be bright spells with scattered, heavy showers and a risk of thunder today and tomorrow, with no immediate prospect of a return to the warm sunshine of the last few weeks.
Up to an inch of rain fell on some parts of Dublin on Tuesday night, and DART services were delayed for well over an hour yesterday morning due to flooding at Glenageary station. Services ran normally from Dun Laoghaire to Howth, and stranded commuters were allowed to use their DART tickets on Dublin Bus.
There were, minor accidents, and traffic lights were out of order at a number of key junctions.
Munster was also badly affected, with traffic delays in Cork city and Limerick. Later yesterday the rain belt moved to the west and northwest. A Met Eireann spokesman said that that volume of rain was unusual but not phenomenal for this time of the year.
The Automobile Association's road watch development officer, Ms Lorraine Keane, had some words of consolation for the many Junior and Leaving Certificate students who made their way to examination centres in the mist and rain.
"None of us expected this kind of weather in June, especially at examination time when it tends to be warm and sunny," she said.
"At least there may be some consolation for them this year in that they are not missing the hot, sunny weather outside, while they are stuck indoors studying. For their sake, I hope the rain keeps up, but for the traffic I hope it clears!"