Storm Austen brings nationwide rain warning to Ireland on Thursday
Met Éireann issued a Status Yellow rain warning for all of Ireland from Thursday evening as Storm Austen, the season's first named storm, approaches.
Met Éireann has told people across Ireland to prepare for a wet spell from Thursday evening, warning that Storm Austen, the first storm of the autumn to be named, will bring rain to every county. The Status Yellow alert runs from 7pm Thursday to 8am Friday, the forecaster said.
Dublin and Wicklow face an earlier band of rain: a separate Status Yellow alert there runs from 1am to 8am on Wednesday. Once Austen arrives, its rain will push eastward through Thursday, with some low-lying areas at risk of flooding, Met Éireann said.
Across the Irish Sea, Britain's Met Office gave the system its name and expects strong winds to reach southern England on Friday. Deputy chief forecaster Tom Crabtree said the storm's path was not yet fixed, but that its likely disruption meant it qualified for naming.
Met Éireann also pointed to strong, gusty north-westerly winds blowing through Thursday night, though it stopped short of adding a wind warning alongside the rain alert.
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What we know
- A Status Yellow rain alert covers every county in Ireland from 7pm Thursday to 8am Friday as Storm Austen approaches, Met Éireann said.
- A separate Status Yellow alert covers Dublin and Wicklow from 1am to 8am Wednesday.
- Britain's Met Office named the storm and expects strong winds in southern England on Friday.
- Met Éireann expects strong, gusty north-westerly winds overnight Thursday but has not issued a wind warning.
Why it matters for Europe
Storm Austen is the first storm of the autumn to be named in Ireland and Britain, with its rain raising the risk of flooding in low-lying areas as the system also brings strong winds to southern England.
Sources
Reported by 5 reports from 5 independent outlets in 1 countries.
- Cork Beo: Nationwide rain warning as Storm Austen bears down on Ireland
- TheJournal.ie: Storm Austen: Rain warning for Ireland on Thursday for first named storm of the season
- RTÉ News: Rain warnings issued as Storm Austen to hit Ireland
- Dublin Live: Dublin hit with two weather warnings as Storm Austen set to hit Ireland
- The Irish Times: Storm Austen to hit Ireland as Met Éireann issues weather warnings for Wednesday and Thursday
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- When does the Irish rain alert run?
- The nationwide Status Yellow alert runs from 7pm Thursday to 8am Friday, Met Éireann said.
- Is there also a wind warning?
- No; Met Éireann expects strong, gusty north-westerly winds overnight Thursday but has not issued a separate wind alert.
- Does the storm reach Britain?
- Yes, the Met Office expects Storm Austen to bring strong winds to parts of southern England on Friday.
This article was written with AI assistance from 5 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.