LAST UPDATE | 27 May

EIGHT COUNTIES ARE now under thunderstorm warnings as Clare has been added to the list.

Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny and Wexford are also under status yellow warnings for thunderstorms until 7pm Wednesday evening. 

Cork had been under a status orange warning from 2pm to 4pm today. 

The thunderstorm cell was outside Cork Harbour. The lightning was intense, with no break between the roar of thunder as it passed over.

Met Éireann said scattered thunderstorms will move up from the south today, with the potential for lightning and hail damage, as well as slippy roads and impaired visibility where showers hit.

A Status Yellow high temperature warning remains in place for counties Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Galway, Kilkenny, Laois and Offaly until 6pm.

Maximum temperatures in these counties are expected to be in excess of 27C in those counties, combined with the lowest nighttime temperatures in excess of 15C.

This could lead to water-safety issues due to increased use of lakes and beaches and the possibility of forest fires, as well as uncomfortable sleeping conditions and heat stress.

After the record high temperature for May was provisionally broken twice this week, Met Éireann has said that today will be the last day of very warm weather.

Thursday will see sunny spells in the north and east, but cloud will build from the southwest and bring patchy light rain and drizzle. There will still be a lot of dry weather and limited sunny spells, with highs of 17 to 23C.

On Friday, any lingering patchy rain in the north and west will clear by the morning, with the rest of the day to remain largely dry with plenty of sunshine and some isolated showers. Temperatures will reach highs of 17 to 22 or 23C.

Changing climate

Shifting weather patterns around the world and successive record-breaking conditions are evidence of climate change, which is being caused by human activities leading to excessive greenhouse gas emissions that trap heat inside the atmosphere.

Many people will have enjoyed the unusually warm conditions this early in the year – but it’s also a concerning signal of the climate change the world faces, which is on track to escalate in coming years if countries fail to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

New projections published today by the Environmental Protection Agency show that Ireland is on course to deliver only half the reductions of greenhouse gas emissions required by 2030.

Water safety

With the warm weather continuing, the RNLI is urging people to be water safe. 

Linda-Gene Byrne, the RNLI’s regional water safety lead, told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that although the weather is sunny, the water is still very cold because it hasn’t had enough time to heat up.

“While we might be very, very hot today, when we hit that water, there’s a very good chance of cold water shock hitting us if we hit the water too quickly,” she said. 

Anything below 15C is defined as cold water and can seriously affect breathing and movement.

“What happens is you get that involuntary gasping panic and a loss of breathing control as your body gets a sudden shock of that cold water hitting it,” Byrne said, adding that it is important for people to try and acclimatise slowly when going into water. 

Anyone who experiences cold water shock should float to live, she said.

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The best way for someone to float is to go on their back in the water, tilt their head back with their ears submerged and try to relax and breathe normally. “In 60 to 90 seconds, you should be able to get your breathing back under control,” Byrne said.

She said people can gently move their hands and legs to help stay afloat if you need to. “It’s okay if your legs sink a little bit. Everyone floats a little bit different, but everybody is able to float.” She said once their breathing is under control, they can call for help or swim to safety. 

Byrne also said that if someone else is in difficulty, the main thing to do “is not to get in yourself”.

“The first thing that you should do is phone 999 or 112 for the emergency services. Ask for the Coast Guard, and immediately the operator will dispatch any emergency assets that are needed,” she said.

“The emergency response units would much prefer to get the call and be on the way, and if everything resolves itself and they’re not needed, they’re happy to stand down, but have those emergency services on the way.”

She said people should also shout out to the person in difficulty to stay calm and give them instructions on how to float and get their breathing under control. They should also look for any rescue equipment like a buoyancy aid, throw bag or a long pole to throw to the person while staying safe themselves. 

Unsure of what exactly is happening with the earth’s climate? Check out our FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online.