'Dangers and hazards': ESB urges public not to swim in reservoirs despite warm weather
DON'T LET THE warm weather tempt you: the ESB is urging members of the public not to take a dip in reservoirs this weekend, warning that they are dangerous to swim in.
The ESB is cautioning that there are dangers and potentially serious consequences associated with swimming in any ESB reservoir.
In a statement this afternoon, the ESB said that it wanted to issue the reminder given the recent warm weather in the lead-up to the May bank holiday weekend.
Advertisement
'It is important that people take note of the safety warnings which are visible on signs posted around ESB reservoirs,' said ESB Senior Manager of Hydro Operations Martin Stronge.
'These areas are unsafe for swimming due to deep, fast-flowing waters, fluctuating water levels, and uneven terrain, which present significant hazards to the public,' Stronge said.
'To ensure your safety and the safety of others, always choose safer swimming locations such as swimming pools or beaches with designated lifeguards.'
The weather has heated up around the country this week, with highest temperatures expected today of around 19 to 24 degrees Celsius,
according to Met Éireann
.
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More
Support The Journal
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
10 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Ireland's weather set to get drier and warmer but no summer heatwave on the horizon
Met Éireann's long range forecast has indicated that, from June 16, Ireland's weather will get drier, warmer and more settled - a boost to tourists, families and day trippers alike. Concert-goers are also heaving a sigh of relief amid predictions the trio of Zach Bryan concerts in Dublin's Phoenix Park from June 20-22 will see dry, settled weather with temperatures of 20C to 21C. However, while settled weather is expected to last until early July, there are no indicators that temperatures will soar to Riviera-like values or even the remarkable sunshine of early May. Long-range weather specialists, Accuweather, have forecast that temperatures in Ireland will not rise above 21C in June - and will only climb to 22C/23C in July. The good news is that, after a week of showers until June 17, Ireland's weather will become more settled and drier. Met Éireann predicted that the country will enjoy fine weather from mid June. "A signal for high pressure enters the forecast, leading to a likelihood of largely settled conditions," a Met Éireann spokesperson said. "Precipitation amounts will likely be below average, with temperatures trending above average." "From June 23, the signal for high pressure remains. However as uncertainty increases the signal is not as strong as week two. Nevertheless temperatures are again expected to trend higher than average, and precipitation amounts are likely to be below average." The late month forecast is more uncertain from June 30. "Uncertainty in the forecast increases, with little in the way of any pressure pattern dominating our weather. However, there is some signal that temperature values will be above average, with little to no signal for precipitation amounts." Accuweather predicted that Ireland will see seven days of showers by June 17 with just two days of dry or overcast conditions. However, from June 18 to 30, there will be just a single day of showers in two weeks. Despite the dry, settled conditions, temperatures will remain stubbornly in the low 20s. Met Éireann warned that, before the settled conditions arrive from June 18, Ireland will have blustery, showery weather with some occasionally heavy bouts of rainfall. "There is a trend towards milder temperatures but it will remain unsettled with showery conditions," a spokesperson added. "Tuesday will see some clear spells early on before cloud builds from the southwest along with patchy outbreaks of light rain or drizzle." "Wednesday will be cloudy with showers developing through late morning and into the afternoon, some showers may turn heavy at times. It will feel milder too with highest temperatures of 18C to 21C." Next weekend is likely to prove both wet and chilly with temperatures sinking to a maximum of 18C on Saturday with most parts of Ireland seeing summer showers, some of which will prove quite heavy.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Irish Independent
Ireland makes waves on a global scale as seven-storey swell recorded off coast of Cork
Data released by the Marine Institute shows the 21.9-metre wave was captured by the M3 weather buoy, 56km south-west of Mizen Head at 10am on January 27, making it one of the largest waves ever logged in Irish waters. 'That wave was recorded during Storm Éowyn as it passed over Ireland. The M3 buoy is located approximately 55km offshore west-southwest of Mizen Head, Co Cork, the southernmost point of Ireland,' said Alan Berry, research infrastructure manager at the Marine Institute. But the towering swell off the Cork coast pales beside two freak waves that breached the 30-metre mark over the past decade. A record-breaking rogue wave measuring 32.3m was recorded five years ago, nearly 400km off the Galway coast by the M6 buoy stationed in the deep Atlantic, according to the Marine Institute. It remains the largest confirmed wave ever measured in Irish waters, although an unverified larger swell was logged 11 years ago. 'Analysis of raw data from a wave rider buoy operated by ESB at Killard, Co Clare, suggested that a 33.96m wave was recorded on January 26, 2014,' Mr Berry said. 'The accuracy of that observation has never been verified and should be treated with caution due to the depth of water [39m] and the stated operating range of the wave monitoring buoy. 'A number of verified rogue waves were recorded by the buoy in the following two days, including the 'Killard Wave' measuring 26.45m and a number of other waves in excess of 20m. 'But, to the best of our knowledge, the 32.3m wave recorded at the M6 buoy in 2020 is the largest recorded wave ever in Irish waters.' Ireland's exposed position on the storm-tossed track of North Atlantic low-pressure systems gives rise to some of the most colossal seas on the planet Closer to land, a 30.96m wave was measured by a weather buoy 10 miles off the coast of Belmullet in the westerly tip of Mayo just after midnight on March 2, 2016. The same buoy recorded a 26.35m rogue wave the following night at 3am. Mr Berry said the Belmullet coast experiences some of Ireland's tallest waves because it lies close to the edge of the continental shelf, where the relatively shallow coastal waters — around 250 metres deep — drop sharply into the deep ocean, which plunges to about 3,000 metres. Ireland's exposed position on the storm-tossed track of North Atlantic low-pressure systems gives rise to some of the most colossal seas on the planet. Rogue waves — steep, solitary swells that rise at least twice as high as the surrounding sea — were once thought to be maritime myth, but are now well-documented. According to researchers, between one in every 10,000 and one in every 30,000 waves fall into this rare category. The data from the Marine Institute also showed these waves aren't confined to the open Atlantic, with giant waves occurring in sheltered waters, including off the Connemara coast this winter. 'The largest wave ever recorded in Galway Bay occurred during Storm Éowyn, measuring 10.1m in a depth of water of 25m just off the coast of Spiddal village,' Mr Berry said. The Marine Institute's real-time monitoring network provides insight into how often — and how close to shore — these extreme waves can appear. Ireland's Atlantic-facing coastline places it at the front line of North Atlantic swell systems, making it one of Europe's most wave-battered regions.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Solar power delivers record 173 Mwh during sunny May
Solar power reached its highest recorded figure on the national electricity grid in May, as Ireland recorded its warmest and sunniest spring in history. Provisional data from the national grid operator EirGrid shows 173,163 MWh of electricity was produced from grid-scale solar in May, representing 6.5% of electricity generated for the month. In comparison, May 2023 saw 2.7% of all electricity come from solar power, accounting for 71,731 MWh of electricity. There were also a number of new peaks for grid-scale solar activity for a one-minute period, reaching 755 MW at one point on May 17, beating the record of 752 MW set two days earlier. Overall, electricity system demand was 2.7 GWh for May, similar to last year. Of the 32.5% of electricity generated from renewables last month, the majority came from wind, which accounted for 22.5%, while 6.5% came from solar, and the remainder of renewable generation came from other sources, including hydro and biomass. Gas generation accounted for 39% of the electricity produced, with 22.8% being imported via interconnection and 4.6% coming from coal. Eirgrid said Ireland's grid can currently accommodate up to 75% of electricity from renewable sources at any one time. 'While onshore wind remains the prominent renewable source of electricity in Ireland, solar power has become a notable feature of the Irish power system over the last two years in particular, and we may see further records being reached over the coming summer months," Diarmaid Gillespie, Director of System Operations at EirGrid said. We also continue to see electricity imports contributing significantly to our fuel mix in meeting electricity demand. Met Éireann this week reported that spring 2025 was Ireland's warmest and sunniest in 126 years of recorded data. Most weather stations recorded the highest total hours of sunshine for the season, making it the sunniest spring ever recorded, according to the national meteorological service. The season's highest temperature was observed in Athenry, Co Galway, on a Wednesday in May, when the mercury hit 25.9C — the highest spring temperature in 15 years of local records. Read More John Gibbons: East Cork solar farm row shows politicians must get off the fence on renewables
