The sustained outbreaks early on Tuesday meant problems for motorists.

The Met Office issued severe weather warnings for counties Antrim and Down.

In some places, half an inch of rain fell in just 30 minutes.

We have had such a rainy season, the water table is absolutely at its peak and once we get any further water it has nowhere to go

Mervyn Rea Mayor of Antrim

The Fire Service was called to reports of flooding in Banbridge and Newry in County Down and Lurgan in County Armagh.

The Mayor of Antrim, Mervyn Rea, said Tuesday's downpour there was horrendous.

"It makes one think of Noah and the Ark," he said.

"I have never seen rain like it," he said.

"We have had such a rainy season, the water table is absolutely at its peak and once we get any further water it has nowhere to go."

In Lurgan, the heavy rainfall left many streets flooded.

Torrential

DUP councillor Stephen Moutray said houses on Carrick Drive may have to be sandbagged to protect them.

"At the moment the water has not got into the houses but I have been on with the statutory agencies and they are coming out to assess it to see if sandbags need to be put up," he said.

There was severe disruption at Belfast International Airport where 15mm of rain fell in 20 minutes at the airport.

The check-in and arrivals halls were flooded after a torrential downpour at 0700 BST on Tuesday.

The Met Office at the airport was also flooded and operations had to be handled by other Met Offices in the UK.

The Crew Park Road off the Moira Road was impassable, as was the Old Stone Road between Belfast Road and Kilead roundabout at Muckamore in County Antrim.