Council crews are on standby.

As the country braces for the arrival of Storm Ciarán this evening, Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow Rain warning with yet another flood alert for Cork, Waterford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, and Wicklow.

“Further rainfall associated with Storm Ciarán, combined with saturated ground conditions and high river levels, may lead to flooding.” said a forecaster.

The warning is active from 7pm this evening, Wednesday, November 1st to 7am on Thursday morning,

Cork County Council crews are on standby in several known risk locations across the county. Crews are currently clearing inlets and gullies and sandbags and pumping arrangements will be in place in known problem locations.

Status Yellow – Rain warning for Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow Cork Waterford

Further rainfall associated with Storm Ciarán, combined with saturated ground conditions & high river levels may lead to flooding

Valid: 19:00 Wednesday 01/11/2023 to 07:00 Thursday 02/11/2023 pic.twitter.com/T4QPjioFlM

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) October 31, 2023

“Members of the public are advised to stay high, stay dry and stay back from the coast, rivers and lakes.” said a County Council spokesperson.

“With strong gusts and high waves predicted, people are urged to refrain from visiting coastal areas.”

‘Drive slowly’

The Council is also asking members of the public to exercise extreme caution as driving conditions may be hazardous, with surface and flash flooding possible.

“Motorists are advised to avoid driving through flowing or standing water and to exercise caution during heavy rain. Strong winds can make driving conditions hazardous, especially for the more vulnerable road users, e.g., cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and high-sided vehicles.

“Road users should pay particular attention to the risk posed by fallen trees and flying debris as trees are in full leaf and never drive through flooded roads as the depth of the water can be deceiving.”

The County Council is advising members of the public to ensure their mobile phone is fully charged to enable communication during the storm.