WATCHDOG · 5 MIN READ
Storm Austen: a yellow rain warning for every county from 7pm Thursday. What to do before it arrives, and who to call after
The first named storm of the winter brings a nationwide Status Yellow rain warning from 7pm Thursday 22 October to 8am Friday, with Dublin and Wicklow under a separate warning from 1am Wednesday. The jobs worth doing tonight, the damage to photograph on Friday morning, and the one caller to turn away from the door.
IN SHORT
- Met Éireann has a Status Yellow rain warning for all of Ireland from 7pm Thursday 22 October to 8am Friday 23 October: heavy rain spreading east, with difficult travel, localised flooding and disruption to outdoor events possible. Dublin and Wicklow have a separate yellow rain warning from 1am to 8am on Wednesday 21 October.
- Austen was named on Tuesday 20 October by the UK Met Office, the first named storm of the 2026/27 season. The name comes from Met Éireann's list, for Austen Nagle, first director of the Irish Meteorological Service. The strongest winds are forecast for southern England and Wales; Ireland's problem is rain, then a very windy Saturday.
- Before Thursday evening: clear gutters and the gully outside the back door, bring in anything that blows, and move the car off the street under trees. After: photograph damage before anyone touches it, ring your insurer before a roofer, and do not hire the one who knocks.
What is coming, and when
Met Éireann's warning covers every county. From 7pm on Thursday 22 October until 8am on Friday 23 October, heavy rain associated with Storm Austen spreads eastwards across the country; the possible impacts it lists are difficult travelling conditions, localised flooding and disruption to outdoor events. The rain develops in the south-west on Thursday morning and reaches the north-east through the afternoon and evening, with the heaviest falls and the flooding risk in Munster and Leinster. Dublin and Wicklow get an earlier, separate yellow rain warning for a spell of heavy rain from 1am to 8am on Wednesday 21 October.
The storm itself tracks towards Britain, south of Ireland, on Thursday and Friday. The strongest winds are forecast for southern England and Wales, which is why the UK Met Office did the naming on Tuesday morning. Friday turns blustery with sunshine and showers, and then Saturday is the day to watch for anything loose: a wet start everywhere, clearing to showers, and very windy with strong, gusty westerly winds.
Austen is the first name on this winter's list, which Met Éireann, the UK Met Office and the Dutch service KNMI share. Met Éireann chose it for Austen Nagle, the first director of the Irish Meteorological Service. The season's list runs A to W; the next Irish names are Evelyn, Heather and Kilian.
Tonight and tomorrow: the jobs that stop the damage
None of this is dramatic, which is the point. Most storm damage to Irish houses is water finding the one blocked route, or wind finding the one loose thing.
- Gutters and the gully. Leaves are down this week and the first heavy rain of the autumn finds every blocked downpipe. Clear the gutters you can reach safely from the ground or a short ladder on firm, dry footing, and lift the grid on the gully outside the back door. A gutter cleaner with the right ladder does a semi-detached house in an hour or two; the service page has the guide price for your county.
- Anything that blows. Trampolines, patio furniture, the wheelie bins on the windward side, the loose fence panel you have been meaning to fix. Saturday's wind, not Thursday's rain, is what moves them.
- The car. Off the street if there is a mature tree over it, and out of the dip at the bottom of the road that floods.
- Drains and flood risk. If your road has flooded before, the council's sandbags are usually at the depot or the fire station; check the county council's website on Wednesday rather than Thursday evening. The OPW's flood maps at floodinfo.ie show whether your address has a history.
- Phone, torch, kettle. Charge the phone, know where the torch is, fill a flask. ESB Networks' PowerCheck shows live faults and restoration times if the power goes.
Friday morning: what to do before anyone touches anything
- Photograph it first. The slipped tiles, the fence, the water line in the garage, the tree on the shed. Wide shots and close-ups, with the date visible on the phone. Insurers and the Residential Tenancies Board both work from photographs; the deposit piece elsewhere in this issue shows how far photographs go.
- Insurer before roofer. Ring the insurer's claims line, or do it through the app, before you book anyone. They will tell you whether to make the roof safe now and claim after, or wait for an assessor. Emergency work to stop further damage is almost always covered; a full repair booked without asking may not be.
- Make it safe, not perfect. A tarpaulin over the gap and the water switched off at the stopcock is the Friday job. The full repair is next week, from someone you chose.
- Trees. A tree down on a public road is the council's; on a power line it is ESB Networks', and you stay well away. On your own ground, a tree surgeon with their own insurance, not a chainsaw from a van.
The one caller to turn away
Every storm brings the same van round the estate the morning after: "We're doing your neighbour's roof, we noticed yours." The pattern is covered in our doorstep-traders piece, and the law has not changed: for any work agreed during an unsolicited visit to your home you have 30 days to cancel under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, the trader must tell you so in writing, and if they do not, the period stretches by a further twelve months. Gardaí warned about exactly this after the storms of last winter. The storm does not change the rule for hiring anyone: a name, a landline or a listed company, a written quote, and no cash deposit on the doorstep. A roofer listed on Locufy has had their identity and insurance checked and their reviews come only from completed jobs.
“Heavy rain associated with Storm Austen will spread eastwards across the country.”
Met Éireann, Status Yellow warning, 20 October 2026
7pm–8am
Thursday 22 to Friday 23 October: yellow rain warning, all counties
1am–8am
Wednesday 21 October: yellow rain warning, Dublin and Wicklow
1st
named storm of the 2026/27 season, which began on 1 September
By the numbers — figures from the sources listed at the end of this piece.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Gutter cleaners, roofers and tree surgeons near you, with their checks and score — no account needed to look.Questions this piece gets asked
Is it a wind warning or a rain warning?
Rain. Met Éireann's yellow warning for Thursday night is for heavy rain and localised flooding. The strongest winds from Austen are forecast for southern England and Wales. Ireland's windiest day this week is forecast to be Saturday, which is not under a warning as of Tuesday.
Will my insurer pay for storm damage?
Most home policies cover storm damage, and emergency work to prevent further damage is normally covered. Ring the claims line before booking a full repair, photograph everything first, and keep every receipt.
Who named Storm Austen?
The UK Met Office, on Tuesday 20 October, because the strongest impacts are expected in Britain. The name is from Met Éireann's share of the joint list and honours Austen Nagle, the first director of the Irish Meteorological Service.
Sources
- Irish Examiner, Yellow rain warning issued as Storm Austen threatens flooding and travel disruption, 20 Oct 2026
- Agriland, Storm Austen to bring heavy rain this week as warnings issued, 20 Oct 2026
- Donegal Daily, Storm Austen: Ireland braces for first storm of the season, 20 Oct 2026
- Connacht Tribune, Met Éireann name Storm Austen as weather warning issued for Ireland, 20 Oct 2026
- Irish Examiner, Revealed: Met Éireann announces new list of storm names for winter, 1 Sep 2026
- Met Éireann, Weather warnings
- ESB Networks, PowerCheck
- OPW, Flood maps
- Consumer Rights Act 2022, s.113–114
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Comments 3
TopNewest
- REAoife M.Customer · Dublin 8EDITOR'S PICK2 h ago
The register link is the useful bit. Looked up the lad who quoted us for the board last month — not on it. Saved us a job.
- PRMarta R.Provider · Electrician · Crumlin1 h ago
Every one of these cases is a board or a shower. Ask for the certificate before the balance, every time. A registered contractor will not blink.
- RECiara D.Customer · Cork40 min ago
The thirty-day rule should be on a sticker on every front door.
Signed-in Locufy customers and providers only. Comments close 30 days after publication. Report anything that names a person unfairly — we act on every report.
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