WATCH: Downpour of River Barrow as recorded rainfall more than 5 times the normal at Oak Park

County Carlow records the greatest deviation from normal rainfall levels.

The unseasonal intense rain in July has created a spectacular waterfall in the Slieve Blooms at Glenbarrow. 

Visitors to the Laois beauty spot captured winter-like water flows on the falls on July 15. See more below video tweeted by Kim Timlin who said the River Barrow was at full flow. 

Glenbarrow in full flow today!! @LaoisWeather @LaoisNews @tourism_laois pic.twitter.com/UV8KB3EVXw

— Ken Timlin (@timlin_ken) July 15, 2023

The Offices of Public Works publishes river levels in real-time online. It showed the level at the Borness measuring point on the River Barrow near Mountmellick jumping by over a metre to almost 1.5 metres in between July 14 and July 16.

The OPW reported a five-fold increase in the level of the Barrow in Portlarington between July 14 and July 16 when the level in the Laois Offaly town peaked at nearly 1.8 metres. This is less than a metre of the median flood level for the town of 2.4 metres.

Met Éireann's farming section said rainfall amounts over the past seven days were well above normal across the country with between 2.5 and 5.5 times the average for the time of year recorded. 

The greatest deviation from normal was recorded at Oak Park Co. Carlow where 71.4mm was recorded which was about 5.5 times the average.

No great improvement is on the cards for the week ahead with further spells of rain and showers with wetter than average conditions expected in most areas. Met Éireann warns people to expect 20 to 50mm generally wich is one to three times the normal amounts.

The national outlook from Met Éireann says it will remain unsettled or changeable with temperatures a little below average for the time of year.

Met Éireann National Forecast issued at 12.37pm on July 16 below tweet.

Dull☁️, wet️ & windy️ today & tomorrow with widespread & occasionally heavy outbreaks of rain.

Scattered heavy showers☔️ continuing on Sunday.

Quite blustery with fresh & gusty easterly winds, gradually veering westerly.

Afternoon temperatures️ in the mid to high teens. pic.twitter.com/Au57MOfs2I

— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) July 14, 2023

Sunday: Sunny spells and showers this afternoon and evening. Some showers will be heavy, especially in parts of the east and south with a few isolated thunderstorm possible. Highest temperatures of 15 to 19 degrees. Blustery at times with mostly moderate westerly winds, fresh at times near coasts.

Showers will become isolated at night and there will be good dry and clear spells. Some mist may develop as winds ease light. Lowest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees.

Monday: A mix of sunny spells and scattered showers. It will turn mostly cloudy in the southwest in the evening with rain developing here towards the end of the day. Highs of 17 to 19 degrees with a light, occasionally moderate, westerly breeze.

Becoming wet in most areas overnight with rain turning very heavy in Munster. Likely staying dry for northernmost areas. Southerly winds will be near calm for most, but will later freshen in the south. Lows of 9 to 13 degrees.

TUESDAY: A wet day with rain in the morning, heaviest in the south, followed by heavy showers in the afternoon. Drier and brighter weather will slowly follow from the west through the afternoon. Highs of 16 to 20 degrees, warmest in the south. Breezy along the south too, with light to moderate winds elsewhere.

Heavy showers will linger in eastern areas for a time before clearing. A mostly dry and clear night elsewhere with the odd shower. Light to moderate northwest winds. Lowest temperatures of 9 to 11 degrees.

WEDNESDAY: After a mostly bright morning, a little cloud will build during the day with scattered showers developing. Light to moderate northwest winds with highs of 16 to 19 degrees. On Wednesday night there will be occasional showers with long clear spells. Overnight lows of 7 to 10 degrees.

THURSDAY: Another day of scattered showers with a mix of cloudy and bright periods. Highs of 15 to 18 degrees with light or moderate northwest winds.

FURTHER OUTLOOK: Similar conditions on Friday with further showers, perhaps turning cloudier.