Thousands of homes have been left without power after Storm Rachel hit the country overnight. Approximately 17,000 homes and business were affected after torrential rain and storm force winds swept in from the Atlantic. Rail services and airport schedules have also been disrupted. While coastal areas have been feeling the brunt of it, the stormy conditions are set to continue throughout the day and move inland. Met Éireann predicts more gusts of up to 150km/h and widespread showers, some of which will be wintry. Tonight the downpours will become more scattered but temperatures will drop to between -2 and +2 degrees. This will bring frost and ice. At the moment there is a status red wind warning in place for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo. This is valid until 2.00pm. There is also a status orange wind warning for Cavan, Clare, Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Limerick, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Roscommon, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow. Gerald Fleming, head  of forecasting at Met Éireann, told the Irish Times: “We will see very heavy and violent showers work their way across the country. “Those features suggest that the worst will be coming along in the next four to five hours. “It’s also of a feature of this storm that it’s going to be very prolonged and it’s going to last right through most of the daylight hours.”