Torrential rain in the south of the country has caused flooding in parts of Co Cork.
There are reports of flooding on the N73 between Mallow and Mitchelstown, Park Road in Mallow is flooded and the Carrigrohane/Tower Road (R579) is impassable near Cloghroe.
Sections of the Dunmanway/Kilmichael Road (R587) are currently impassable due to flooding, including Ardcahan Bridge at the River Bandon, according to AA Roadwatch.
Met Éireann weather stations at Cork Airport recorded more than 30mm of rain and Valentia Observatory in Kerry 34mm on Friday morning.
Flood barriers have been erected in Mallow and Fermoy.
In Mallow, the Longfield Bridge, as well as Park Road, have been closed due to flooding.
This is the fourth time flood barriers have been erected in the town over the last few months. The situation is being monitored on a constant basis but flooding of properties is not expected.
Forecaster Pat Clarke said the yellow rain warning had now been lifted for Munster but the province sustained very heavy rainfall on Thursday night and Friday morning.
He said areas of higher ground would have received “well in excess” of the 34mm of rain recorded at Valentia Observatory. “We had warnings of up to 50mm of rain, but some of the mountains in Kerry might have got in excess of that,” he said.
A status yellow rainfall warning has also been lifted for Kilkenny, Wexford, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary though 25mm-30mm on rain is expected by Friday evening.
A yellow wind warning was in place for Galway, Mayo, Clare and Kerry until 6pm on Friday with southerly winds gusting at speeds of up to 80km/h-95km/h.
The rain will be followed by heavy showers over the western half of the country with strong, gusty southerly winds and a risk of thunder. It will be milder than of late with highest temperatures of between 10-12 degrees.
The mild temperatures will continue over the weekend with the possibility of 14 degrees in place though it will be cool at night with a touch of grass frost and showers.
Mr Clarke said the prolonged period of below-average temperatures which stifled grass growth and caused the ongoing fodder crisis was coming to an end.
More normal next week
As a consequence soil temperatures, which are vital for growth, are between a degree and a degree and a half below normal for the time of year.
He predicted a return to more normal temperatures next week. “The reasonably good news is that the temperatures which have been in single figures will get into double figures by the weekend and early next week,” he said.
“With temperatures in the air rising, soil temperatures will have a chance to recover.”
The forecast is for showery conditions to continue on Monday into the night, but the second half of the week looks drier and warmer.
The continuing unsettled weather follows on from one of the coldest months of March in recorded history.
Most places were at least 1.5 degrees cooler than normal and Valentia Observatory recorded its coldest March since 1962.
The first two days of the month broke a long-standing record for March. On March 1st and 2nd the temperature did not rise above zero in some places making it the first ever recorded ice days for the month.
The prolonged bad weather has led to a fodder crisis with poor grass growth meaning that animals have to be kept indoors.
The Government has now announced it will be importing fodder from abroad to alleviate the problems for farmers.
