Heavy downpours and flooding have hit parts of the island of Ireland as thunderstorms marked the end of the heatwave.

Met Eireann extended a status orange thunderstorm weather warning to 10pm on Monday night for Munster as well as counties Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Kildare, Wicklow and Dublin.

“Heavy downpours of rain and hail will occur in places,” the meteorological service said.

“Flooding where heavy downpours occur.”

In Carlow there were flash floods in Tullow town on Monday night.

Motorists were asked to avoid the town after a number of roads were closed, including Castledermot Road and the R725 between Applegreen and the Tullow Bridge.

In Wexford, there was severe flooding in New Ross town on Monday afternoon and evening following heavy rainfall. People were urged to avoid the quays and drive in other areas with extreme care.

Wexford County Council said there would be interruption to water supplies until at least 10am on Tuesday in the areas of Kilmore, Duncormick, Rathangan, Killag, Wellington Bridge and Bannow.

The forecaster added not all areas would be affected due to the “sporadic nature” of thunderstorm activity.

A small craft warning from Roches Point to Slyne Head to Malin Head was also in place on Monday with northerly winds expected to reach force 6 or higher. It was due to end at just after midnight.

The downpours came after the heatwave ended on Sunday night with thunder, lightning and flash flooding in many places.

Met Eireann said temperatures for the rest of the week will be generally in the mid to high teens. Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be “fresh days with plenty of dry weather and a few light showers”, the forecaster added.

It is set to become milder on Thursday with some rain at times, while Friday is expected to bring a mix of shower and sunny spells.

In Northern Ireland, thunderstorms on Sunday that caused the Met Office to issue an amber weather alert warning of hail, lightning and potential flooding came to an end on Sunday night.

On Monday evening it forecast some heavy showers at first across Antrim and Down. Otherwise the Met Office said it would be a “cloudy evening and night with some patchy mainly light rain”.

Tuesday was expected to be “rather cloudy with some patchy light rain” that would gradually clear. The forecast for Wednesday was due to be mainly dry with prolonged bright and sunny period.