Local authorities in the west are preparing for tomorrow's Status Orange wind warning, which is forecast to bring gale force and very gusty southwest to west winds to Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo and Galway.
The severe weather warning will come into effect at 2pm tomorrow and remain in force until 10pm.
The UK Met Office has also issued an Amber wind warning for Antrim, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry, to begin at 3pm tomorrow and last until 8pm.
In Galway, coastal car parks around the city are being closed until further notice.
Two such facilities in Salthill are regularly flooded during storms and motorists are being advised to move their vehicles from the locations in question this evening.
Council crews will monitor the situation through the day and will implement road closures if necessary.
These would be most likely to be in the Salthill area, with the main focus around high tide there at around 3.30pm tomorrow afternoon.
But despite heavy rain throughout today, routes around the city are not impacted by flooding at this stage.
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Galway City Council announced that woodlands under its management will be closed tomorrow and will reopen, pending inspections by staff, after Storm Amy passes.
The City Museum will close early, at 1pm tomorrow, in advance of the Status Orange wind warning coming into force.
Events planned for tomorrow as part of the Eastside Arts Festival have also been cancelled.
Meanwhile, members of the Civil Defence have been laying sandbags at houses in Donegal as preparations continued in the northwest of the country.
While today has been a day of heavy rain for most of the country, tomorrow will see the arrival of Storm Amy - the first named storm of the new storm season.
In issuing the Status Orange warning for counties along the west coast, Met Éireann warned of difficult travelling conditions and possible power outages.
The forecaster has also warned of potential damage to power lines and fallen trees, with near gale force winds expected.
The rest of the country will be under a Status Yellow wind warning from midday until midnight tomorrow.
The UK Met Office has also issued a Status Yellow wind warning for Down and Armagh from 2pm tomorrow alongside.
Forecaster urges public to heed weather warnings
Met Éireann forecaster Michelle Dillon has said Storm Amy will be powerful for those in the northwest of the country and advised people to heed the relevant weather warnings.
Speaking to RTÉ's Drivetime, Ms Dillon said it is stormy on the Atlantic but Storm Amy has "yet to really get going and develop".
"It is going to get caught up in the Jet Stream, a very powerful jet crossing over, really developing, deepening, coming close to the northwest coast as a powerful storm.
"Before it continues on its track then towards Scotland," she said.
Ms Dillon said there will be strong to gale force, nearly storm force, south-westerly winds veering westerly during Storm Amy, the first named storm of the season.
She said winds will "pick up significantly" through the morning time into the nationwide Status Yellow wind warning from midday, until an Orange warning takes effect from 2pm for north-westerly counties.
"We will have more heavy rain that will clear quickly enough," she added.
Ms Dillon added that the strongest of the winds will be in the west and northwest.
She advised not to go out on any vessel in the northwest under any circumstances due to the violent storm force 11 marine red warning in the northwest from Loop Head to Fair Head.
The forecaster said Storm Amy will be moving away on Sunday with winds easing significantly, adding that it will be mostly dry for the day.
Winds strongest in coastal areas
Met Éireann meteorologist Liz Walshe said it is important to note that there is also a Red marine warning along the west and north west coast from Valentia to Malin Head.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, she said this means that anyone who is near the coast is under Status Red conditions, which she described as "rare and very dangerous".
She said the strongest winds will be in coastal areas and she advised people to stay away.
"Trees are in full leaf and especially after the rain roots might be a little bit weaker and cause more trees to fall," she said.
"Just be aware tomorrow afternoon when it is windy there is a chance that you could meet some obstacles when you're out travelling. Be aware, take care and be prepared, especially if you're in those western and northwestern counties."
Kerry County Council's Director of Services for Community, Climate Action and Operational Services, John Kennelly, said a weather assessment team met yesterday and a number of measures have been put in place ahead of Storm Amy.
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Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said that while the heaviest rainfall is due in the west and south of the county, all crews countywide have been mobilised in light of the Status Orange warning.
"We've had experiences in the past where anticipated rainfall hasn't materialised in certain areas and has materialised elsewhere, so all of our crews are on standby," he added.
Mr Kennelly urged motorists to exercise extra caution on their way to work or school this morning, with the heaviest rainfall expected between 10am and 2pm.
He said there was no significant issues to report this morning but driving conditions in the county were deteriorating.
"The Orange warning is in place for both the morning and evening commutes and school runs, so we are urging motorists to exercise additional caution, to allow extra time for the journeys and to avoid flooded areas and not to drive through any flooded waters," he said.
"The rainfall has commenced but just from reaching out to our crews this morning we've no significant issues to report as of yet, but driving conditions are deteriorating, so our key message to motorists would be to allow extra time for their journeys."
Additional reporting Paschal Sheehy
