Thousands of homes and businesses lost power on Tuesday as high winds and heavy rain swept across Ireland, downing trees, disrupting travel conditions, and triggering localized flooding. The severe weather prompted Met Éireann to issue a status yellow wind warning for Munster, Galway, Mayo, and Sligo, which expired at 9 pm, alongside rain warnings for Wexford and Wicklow lasting until 4 am.
Widespread Power Outages Hit Southern and Western Counties
Very strong and gusty southeasterly winds knocked out electricity for thousands of properties situated south of a line stretching from Galway to Dublin. ESB Networks reported widespread blackouts through its Power Check app, affecting areas from Portmagee in County Kerry across to Crosshaven and Cork City, and extending as far east as Dublin and Arklow in County Wicklow. Additional faults were recorded across counties Limerick, Tipperary, and Kilkenny.
Emergency repair crews successfully restored supply to tens of thousands of premises over the course of the day. However, ESB Networks warned that some properties, particularly in the south, west, and midlands, would remain without electricity overnight as crews worked to clear debris and repair damaged lines.
In west Dublin’s Adamstown district, more than 3,000 premises lost power, while another 1,000 customers near Bray, County Wicklow, experienced similar outages. The ESB Power Check app posted estimated repair times stretching into Wednesday night for remaining faults.
Fallen Trees Disrupt Dublin Traffic and Infrastructure
Travel conditions deteriorated sharply throughout Tuesday due to debris, fallen branches, and blocked routes. Dublin Fire Brigade responded to an incident on the Malahide Road in Swords, County Dublin, where a falling tree brought down power lines directly onto a stationary car.
Images shared by Dublin Fire Brigade on social media showed the vehicle halted in the roadway with a power cable resting across its roof, forcing officials to close the route to traffic. Surface flooding also affected parts of Cork City as heavy rainfall overwhelmed drainage systems.
ESB Networks issued a strict safety warning urging members of the public to stay well away from any fallen wires encountered on roads or pathways.
Forecast and Expected Weather Conditions for Wednesday
Meteorological conditions are projected to improve steadily overnight as wet weather clears eastern and northeastern regions. Drier, clearer conditions from the south and west will extend nationwide, followed by scattered Atlantic showers and easing southeasterly winds.
Wednesday is expected to bring a bright, fresh day featuring a mix of sunny spells and scattered heavy showers, with a slight chance of isolated thunderstorms. Temperatures will range between 15 and 18 degrees Celsius, accompanied by moderate southerly winds that may turn fresher for a time in the west and northwest.
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