Irish Water Safety has warned that the weather forecast for the Easter weekend makes drownings more likely.
In a statement issued on Tuesday morning, Irish Water Safety noted that there is good weather (hotter than Lanzarote, Barcelona and Athens, don’t you know?) expected for the Easter bank holiday, but that water temperatures will still be cold.
The statement reads: “The 22°C warm weather forecast for the bank holiday weekend increases the risk of drownings as warmer air temperatures can tempt people to go swimming in waters that are still cold (10°C coastal, 8°C inland). Survival time is greatly reduced for someone immersed in cold water which drains body heat much faster than cold air.
Unexpected contact with cold water can significantly increase the risk of drowning.
“When cold water makes contact with your skin, the cold shock response causes an immediate loss of breathing control, possible dizziness and panic. This dramatically increases the risk of sudden drowning even if the water is calm and you know how to swim,” Irish Water Safety say.
The organisation also noted that Good Friday will see a full moon in the sky, which will result in especially strong tides.
As it stands, there is also currently a status yellow small craft warning in effect from Met Éireann: “Southeast winds will reach force 6 later this evening, tonight and overnight on coasts from Mizen Head to Loop Head to Erris Head.”
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