Met Éireann has reduced the number of counties included in a Status Yellow weather warning this evening.
The weather warning for wind and rain, originally for the whole country, has been reduced to Leinster and Munster and will begin at 7pm today and will be in place until 10am tomorrow.
Local authorities are preparing for flooding as heavy rainfall is anticipated with Storm Austen this evening.
The storm is closing in on Ireland, with a Status Yellow weather warning and two Status Orange weather warnings in effect from Thursday evening.
Cork, Kerry and Waterford will be under a Status Orange warning from 10pm today to 5am tomorrow, with “intense rain” associated with Storm Austen.
From 2am to 8am on Friday, Dublin, Wexford and Wicklow will fall under a Status Orange warning.
Met Éireann has warned that rivers are expected to rise across Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford, Wicklow, Kildare, Laois, Offaly, Kilkenny and Dublin and parts of the surrounding counties, potentially resulting in rivers exceeding their banks and flooding is expected.
The National Severe Weather and Flood Coordination Group met yesterday in advance of the arrival of Storm Austen.
The coordination group is made up of local authorities, Met Éireann, Government departments, State agencies and utility providers.
Keith Leonard, head of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, has said localised flooding was possible in the storm and advised road users not to attempt to drive through flooded areas.
“Trees remain in full leaf at this time of year, making them more vulnerable to strong winds - motorists should be alert for fallen trees, debris and difficult driving conditions, particularly during Thursday night and Friday’s morning commute.
“If you need to drive during the next few days, allow extra time for essential travel.”
Cork County Council Director of Roads, Transportation and Area services, Padraig Barrett has said that the public must be cautious if they are out and about this evening and that the council is preparing for potential flooding.
Speaking on Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1, Mr Barrett said: “We’ve set up all our flood operation plans right around the county. Sandbags have been deployed, pumps have been deployed where necessary to non-flooding locations.
“But more importantly than that, it’s the messaging to the public to secure loose items in their gardens and on their buildings, and to exercise caution when driving.”
Mr Barrett said the council is “preparing for flooding but hopeful it won’t happen”.
Also speaking on the programme, Roy O’Connor, senior engineer with Dublin City Council said preparations have been ongoing since Monday morning and that the risk of flooding is low.
“All of our staff are on standby. We’re anticipating, localised flooding in urban areas as our biggest challenge tonight.
“We’re confident enough that our rivers and the upper catchments are in good standing. There’s absorption and capacity in the reservoirs to protect our river flows, and this event tonight in Dublin will coincide with low tides.”
The council will be setting up flood defence barriers along the River Dodder and monitoring the situation through the night.
Mr O’Connor also asked members of the public to park their cars out from the curb to avoid impeding the the flow of drainage.
Met Éireann forecaster Holly O’Neill has warned of difficult travelling conditions including disruption to public transport, localised flooding, outdoor events impacted by conditions, fallen trees or branches, loose objects or debris displaced, including Halloween decorations.
Meanwhile, a union for local authority workers is set to allow exceptions to industrial action to help deal with the impact of the upcoming storm.
Siptu members had refused to cooperate with private contractors during a work-to-rule due to a dispute with the government over public sector pay.
Con Casey, Siptu sector organiser, said derogations have been given to councils in Tipperary and Kerry in case contractors are needed for tasks including digging or flood plain works.
We have granted specific local derogations in keeping with Met Éireann reports,” he said. “Local authorities in Munster and other coastal areas may look for them as well.”
“The derogations have been granted, to date, per Kerry and Tipperary county councils respectively, specific to, and confined to, the prevailing weather warnings - our members are ‘derogated’ to work with private machinery contractors only per (Met Éireann) Storm Austen,” said Mr Casey.
Weekend forecast
Friday night will be mostly dry to start, with just a few coastal showers along Atlantic coasts.
Overnight, wet and windy weather will move from the west, with heavy spells of rain expected across parts of west and southwest.
Lowest temperatures will range from 3 to 8 degrees.
There will be a wet and windy start on Saturday with widespread heavy spells of rain.
Through the early afternoon, the rain will ease and turn more showery, with further showers moving in the northwest come the evening.
Fresh to strong and gusty south to southwest winds will reach gale force in some Atlantic areas.
It will be humid with highest temperatures of 12 to 15 degrees, mildest across Munster and Leinster.
Saturday night will bring scattered showers which will continue to feed in from the west overnight, with isolated thunderstorms possible over the north and west.
Parts of Munster and south Leinster will remain mostly dry overnight with clear spells developing.
Lowest temperatures will range from 6 to 9 degrees.
Sunday will be a crisp, breezy day with sunshine and showers, some of which will be heavy in the west and north.
Highest temperatures will range from 9 to 13 degrees.
Monday will be wet and windy with heavy and persistent rain moving in over southern counties at first.
The rain will spread northwards through the morning, gradually easing as it does so.
Further showery spells of rain will follow in behind come the evening time. It will be mild, with highest temperatures of 14 to 16 degrees.