Storm Ali is expected to ease this afternoon — but not before having battered the north west with gale-force winds and driving rain.
It has resulted in blocked roads throughout the region due to fallen trees and wires, as well as flooding.
It’s been the first major storm of the winter, and it came with sudden early-morning ferocity.
Gusts of wind reaching up to more than 100km an hour resulted in branches and trees blown down, with many roads blocked for a time.
They included the R284 Carraroe to Keadue road which was blocked at a number of locations, including near Geevagh and between Callaghan’s pub and Union Wood.
There were also trees and branches down between Collooney and Drumfin, at Slish Wood.
In the Sligo town area, there was a tree and branches down in the Maugheraboy area as well as flooding on the Mardyke and Gibraltar roads.
A container, pictured, fell onto a footpath along the road between Collooney and Ballygawley, near the North West Business Park.
Traffic was delayed near Castlebaldwin because of fallen ESB wires.
Tom Kilfeather, senior engineer with Sligo County Council, said the number of trees and wires that came down in the county was unprecedented.
In Donegal, the road is closed at Tullyrap due to a fallen tree on the N14 between Letterkenny and Lifford. Diversions are in place via Raphoe.
On the N3 The Ballyshannon to Belleek Road is closed due to multiple trees down.
The R231 Rosnowlagh road is closed again due to fallen trees.
Further blockages are reported on the outskirts of Pettigo on R263, on the N15 at Laghey School and on the R267 outside Donegal Town between the Abbey Vocational School and Temples Corner.
A number of trees came down on the Ballyshannon to Belleek road in the Camlin area.
In Leitrim, all main traffic roads are now passable although it may be later today or tomorrow before some blocked local roads are cleared.
There were roads blocked in the Manorhamilton area with trees down in Kinlough, at Sock’s Line, close to the turnoff from Dromahair on the Manorhamilton to Carrick on Shannon road.
Partial road closures were also reported in Drumkeeran Village and at the turn-off from Manorhamilton to Glencar Waterfall, where the strength of the wind was blowing the water upwards from the waterfall
A pole fell in Lurganboy village.
Shay O Connor, senior engineer with Leitrim County Council, has been telling Ocean Fm News the up-to-date situation in the county this lunchtime:
