Garda warning on ‘horrendous’ road conditions

Gardai have warned road users to expect “horrendous” road conditions throughout the city and county, due to torrential rain.

Already, there have been a number of minor collisions on roads in the city.

A Status Orange weather warning from Met Éireann is in place for Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal until 3pm tomorrow, with torrential rain to continue throughout tonight and into tomorrow.

Accumulations of up to 60mm of rain are forecast, which will cause even worse conditions for road users.

This evening, there are reports of treacherous driving conditions – caused by flash floods and fallen leaves – in areas such as the Barna Road between Shangort (Joyce’s) and Silverstrand; the Curraghline and around Luimnagh on the Headford Road and many roads in the Connemara area. There are also reports about the M6 motorway and Claregalway, close to the castle.

A Garda spokesperson said: “Road conditions are horrendous at the moment because of the heavy rain, and they’re worsened by the fact that many roads are covered in leaves after the storms earlier in the week.

“Grip for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians is dramatically reduced in this type of weather. Leave plenty of braking space between you and the vehicle in front.

“Flash floods are just that – they appear in seconds and if you can’t see them, you could be in trouble.

“Reduce your speed, expect the unexpected, and don’t embark on a journey tonight unless it’s absolutely necessary,” the spokesperson said.