Another week of above average temperatures is forecast for Ireland with mostly Status Yellow heat warnings issued by Met Éireann as the public is advised to take extra precautions outside and save water.
Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Galway and Mayo will have a high temperature warning from 7 a.m. on Wednesday until Sunday morning, with temperatures of 27C or more possible. Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, Cavan, Donegal and Munster and Connacht will be affected by a second Status Yellow from midday Wednesday until 6 a.m. Friday.
Met Éireann said the extended hot spell can cause heat stress, which may result in a greater risk of forest fires and drought. Overnight temperatures will also stay above 15 degrees with sub-optimal sleeping conditions. The hot weather is expected to persist into the weekend and next week, and there is a chance of thunderstorms on Wednesday and Thursday, the forecaster said.
A hosepipe ban is to be rolled out in Dublin and parts of south Tipperary and Kildare, Meath, Wexford and Wicklow from Thursday as the heat continues. Water experts are alerting people around the country to not use water unnecessarily, even in places not yet facing restrictions.
Individuals should treat the restrictions as if they are being enforced,” said Dr. Jenny Lawler, Water Institute at DCU. She said the water savings may be as much as 80 per cent if she doesn’t use a hose, since garden hoses can consume up to 15 litres of water per minute.
“Don’t kill your plants,” she added, recommending gardeners water plants in the early morning or later in the day to reduce evaporation. Anyone who breaks the hosepipe ban may be fined up to €5,000.
There has also been a marked increase in emergency calls since the heatwave hit Ireland, with the Irish Coast Guard noting a significant rise in the number of calls since the weather hit. Rescue teams responded to approximately 100 calls of people getting into trouble in the water last weekend alone.
Operations team member Shane Dillon advised the public to not use inflatable toys and lightweight paddleboards in open water, as they are unfit for coastal conditions. If anyone witnessing someone in distress calls 112 and asks for Coast Guard immediately, he said they will arrive in time.
The risks were shown in recent rescues at Silver Strand beach and Magheramore beach when emergency staffers were on the scene for paddleboarding and swimming accidents, before everyone was hauled to safety or treated.
In the meantime, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has urged the Government to make suncream an essential health product so that the price of the item is not driven up by VAT. Minimising the cost would increase uptake as there are more skin cancer cases across Ireland in increasingly hot days.
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