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IF YOU’RE CURRENTLY admiring a new coating of grime on your windows, or questioning the powder substance covering your car and windowsills, fear not – it’s an expected occurrence after storms like Éowyn.
Several concerned Irish people took to social media this afternoon to question the powder deposits left on various surfaces outside following Storm Éowyn, which brought high-speed winds and destruction to many parts of the country.
Coastal areas were hit particularly hard, with gusts reaching speeds of up to 183km/h.
These high-speed winds deposited a off-coloured powder, which has covered a number of outdoor surfaces.
Aideen took this photo in Dunmore East with trees looking white which is likely from salt blown in by storm too. After the night of the big wind in 1839 salty vegetation was mentioned. #StormÉowyn pic.twitter.com/MYp1aiHevC
— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) January 24, 2025
The ‘powder’ is nothing to worry about – it’s a a simple concoction of salt, dust and dirt, experts say.
Peter Thorne, a professor of Physical Geography (Climate Science) at Maynooth University, said there’s no need for alarm regarding the ‘dusting’, explaining that a major storm (such as Éowyn) will usually cause this to happen.
“The dust and salt were picked up from the sea and local area by the strong winds, and were deposited by the winds onto a range of vertical surfaces, including windows,” Prof. Thorne said.
“The reason it is so visible on windows is simply down to the fact that windows are clear,” he added.
Thorne added that the record waves along the west coast caused by the stormy conditions meant that the wind “was able to pick up large amounts of fine matter and carry it as far as the midlands”.
Met Éireann explained that while it may not be the most common occurrence in Ireland, the public has had previous experience with the weather phenomenon before, following deposits of dust carried by strong winds from the Sahara Desert.
The national forecaster reiterated that the “dusting” was “nothing to panic about”.
“We would be more familiar with Saharan dust,” Met Éireann meteorologist Rebecca Cantwell explained.
“People might recognise the red coating that appears on our cars that we sometimes wake up to in the mornings, and that’s brought in by strong southerly wind from the Sahara, after dust and sand is brought up.
“In this case, westerly winds from Storm Éowyn picked up salt and dust deposits from coastal areas with tall waves, and pushed it all inland”.
For those still in doubt, take a page out of Carlow Weather’s book and give it a taste:
Can confirm it is salt! It’s a long way from sea to Carlow pic.twitter.com/2bixrjNRI1
— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) January 24, 2025
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“Dad what’s that flower called ?
“Well son that’s a rhododendron”
How do you spell that ?
On second thought, i think that’s a rose
@larry smith: there’s a richie Kavanagh song to be written about that plant,if he’s still alive
Great series. People have gone mad for Cherry Laurel too and it’s choking out woods. They create dead zones. Birds don’t land on them or use them for cover and there’s nothing to forage on underneath.
Ever one off house in my area has it planted at their boundary in the last 10 years. Should be illegal.
@Ronan Mc: People should plant native hedges, cherry laurels contain cyanide so the birds are probably wise
@Ronan Mc: fwiw All our forest plantations are dead inside. With or without cherry Laurel. Forests are so densely planted not a bird inside. Anyway, cherry Laurel not banned by NPWS but probably should, yes.
Isnt Michael Healy Rae being made the super junior minister of rhododendrons?
I saw a garden centre advertise Rhododendron for sale on their social media. I called them out and it was removed, but I am sure it happens elsewhere.
@Ann Kennan: Apparently there are 200 types of Rhododendrons, and the only pest is Rhododendron Ponticum!
@Ann Kennan: good woman yourself Karen. You should be in government
Does anyone on here ever regret opening up this site/ app as it’s getting so depressing?? But yet we somehow always seem to back for more.
@Donna Fallon: Personally, I’m just here for Larry’s dad jokes.
@Donna Fallon: Only you,my dear. Only you. But it’s nice to chat and mingle in a cesspit of filth every now and again. Nothing brings us back down to earth again as quickly as a malfunctioning Temu parachute.
@Chop Chop: For that comment,I sentence you to ten Hail Mary’s and two Our Father’s. It used to be one Our Father. Times have changed.
@Larry Betts: Only youuu can make the darkness bright…
@Chop Chop: We all need a bit of that… lol!!
@Donna Fallon: Awww thanks Madonna.
@Dave f Doe: Pri ck.
@Donna Fallon: but you seem to be commenting on every article possible so I don’t think you’re sick of it to be honest possibly addicted to commenting
Bindweed is a divil in my garden. The flowers are pretty nice though and at least it dies back in winter.
@Chop Chop: I saw bindweed in Italy a few years back, the flowers weren’t white but a kind of electric blue, beautiful!
@Chop Chop: If you have bindweed in your garden,Chop Chop,do you know what you should do? You should chop and chop,Chop Chop,and don’t stop chopping til the chopper chops the lot.
@Larry Betts: On a roll Larry!
@Larry Betts: You’ve got the makings of a Dr. Seuss book there!
@Brian Hunt: Maybe I’ll get some seeds… it would like nice and also give the journal something to write about next year :-)
@Brian Hunt: The Greens tried to outlaw bindweed imported from Italy a few years ago. They said the electric blue flowers were bad for the environment. They preferred solar powered bindweed that gave off a yellow hue,or wind powered white bindweed.
@Chop Chop: Don’t plant them until after The Journal poll. “Have you ever planted an invasive species? Leave your answers in the comments below”
Maybe instead of poisoning the Japanese Knotweed, we could do like the Japanese and eat it – ideally as young sprouts (before it flowers). It tastes a slight bit rhubarby but when cooked is more like asparagus. It’s rich in plant bioactives like resveratrol, flavonoids and some of the beneficial antioxidant chemicals from green tea. It could and should be kept in check in this way rather than our current approach. The poisons don’t work. Eating does. Obviously not an option right now as they’re laden with weedkiller.
@Peter Conry: Shit. I just ate some before I’d finished reading your comment.
@Peter Conry: it’s held in check in Japan by native fungi and insects.
@JoeJoe Kilbride: yep, they’re important, along with other plants that compete for the same space.
Invasive species are indeed a problem……
Tipperary. Sure it can’t be that bad if someone’s going to make a few quid then. God help us.
We’re having a festival, Its called “Watch Your House Burn to the ground”, sure it’s very destructive and the tickets cost a lot but the flames are so pretty
The vee should be turned into a national park. (All mountain ranges IMO) Then let Parks & Wildlife & local volunteers start clearing this invasive species. In years to come the mountains could be purple with native heather.
Might as well ban everything that grows out there then , next it will be spuds etc
I’ve got three beauties in my back garden but they never recreate!
@Hotirish: Nuns,Dougal. They’re called nuns.
Laurel also a problem!
If it is such a problem why are garden centres allowed to sell it?
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