Met Éireann has upgraded its weather warning for Kerry and several other counties ahead of the arrival of Storm Austen on Thursday.
Following Tuesday’s Status Yellow Rain warning for the entire country, a Status Orange Rain warning has now been issued for Kerry, Cork and Waterford, coming into effect at 10pm on Thursday and remaining in place until 5pm on Friday.
Met Éireann warns that intense rainfall associated with Storm Austen could lead to disruption and delays to public transport services, including rail and bus travel. Flooding and very difficult travelling conditions are also expected.
A nationwide Status Yellow Wind and Rain warning is also set to come into effect on Friday evening.
Meanwhile, in the Tralee area, Wednesday afternoon will bring a mixture of sunshine and showers, with more persistent rain expected during the evening before further showers develop later tonight.
Thursday morning is forecast to remain mainly dry, but heavy rain is expected to arrive during the afternoon which will then continue through the evening and into the early hours of Friday.
© Kerryman