The Dublin Community Blog

When asked about the weather in Ireland, and particularly Dublin, the only fitting description would be Four Seasons in One Day. You leave the house in the morning with bright sunshine, by the time you reach your destination you will be soaked, only to be blown off the pavement on your way back.

Today, of course, was no different. I once again found myself stranded on O’Connell street, waiting for a bus that didn’t come while the rain was pooring down and umbrella’s were giving in all around me. The best remedy to save you on a moment like that is to quickly pop in to a Butler’s Chocolate and buy a hot chocolate. With or without cream but with the complimentary truffle, it is in my opinion the best method to temporarily escape everything cold and wet while the rain is still pooring down on your head.

While letting the truffle melt in your mouth by the hot chocolate you drink, you simply forget that you are getting soaked and are freezing.

Trust me, the bus will be there before you know it…..

According to Met Eireann the whole country is in for “significant snow fall” tonight.

Issued at 07 February 2007 – 11:55
Severe Weather Alert- Snow

Warning of significant snow fall tonight, Wednesday night, and also for a time Thursday morning.
General :Very cold and frosty this evening.

A spell of rain and sleet in south Munster this afternoon, will extend northwards this evening and tonight, and will fall as snow in many places.

Moderate to high accumulations of snow can be expected and some drifting is likely in the strong easterly winds.

Areas most at risk are Ulster, Connacht and much of Leinster and north Munster.

I love snow and I’m so excited! Anyone else feel the same?

Going through St Stephen’s Green yesterday afternoon I came across a wedding party taking advantage of the beautiful weather we are having to have their pictures taken. Always carry your camera you never know what photo opportunities will appear.

There’s a lovely rainbow over the city at the minute and I snapped it two minutes ago just before a cloud cover went behind it. There has to be something nice after a non-stop rainy day and night. Still we can’t, but do, complain.

The Irish Marine Institute have issued the following high tide warning:

“This year we will experience a period of unusually high tidal ranges, which will reach a zenith in Galway around September 9th, October 8th and November 6th. In Dublin high tides are predicted around the 10th September, 9th October and November 6th. In Cobh high tides are predicted around September 9th, October 8th and November 5th to 7th (Information drawn from FES 2004 global tidal model). The differences in date are due to mitigating local factors concerning effects of the Irish Sea and the open Atlantic.”

The Dept of Environment advisory quotes the Minister, Dick Roche as follows:

“However, we have no particular cause for worry unless we get storms and sea surges at the same time, and so far the weather forecasts remain favourable.”

Further information on flooding can be found on this OPW website. Weather information can be found at Met Eireann.

Batten down the hatches folks.

Somewhat ironic given what I wrote about earlier today. Even more ironic given Fingal County Council are in the process of building a massive reservoir at the side of the M50 (now you know what that massive water-tower is, and there’s a reservoir beside it!).

See below press release from today:

Fingal County Council Water Services is today issuing an Urgent Water Conservation Notice to all residents in County for the coming week. Due to significantly increased demand on water supplies we are experiencing severe difficulties in replenishing reservoirs in some parts of the County and will not be able to guarantee supplies. In order to ensure availability of water for use during peak times it will be necessary to immediately introduce a series of direct conservation measures.

These measures will include reduction of water supply during off-peak hours (normally between the hours of 9.00 p.m. and 6.00 am) in the following areas.

Balbriggan
Balrothery
Lusk
Portrane
Skerries
Loughshinney
The Naul
Garristown
Balscadden
Swords
Donabate
Rush
Malahide
Portmarnock
Howth

As a result some customers will experience reduced water pressure with a possible total loss of water supply during these hours in the areas affected.

PLEASE CONSERVE YOUR WATER FOR ESSENTIAL USE ONLY

Don’t water your garden
Don’t use hoses or sprinklers
Don’t wash your car
Don’t leave taps running

Do report any leaks that you see so that we can have our staff on site quickly to repair pipes and therefore save water.

For a full range of conservation advice check out: WWW.TAPTIPS.IE

Again we appeal to people to conserve water and we thank you sincerely for your co-operation and patience at this time and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

If you need any further information please call 01 890 5900 (office hours) or 01 8731415 (outside office hours).

Well, we’ve had a few nice sunny, warm days here in Dublin, some would say that summer has arrived, but, apparently it’s far more than that, officially, according to Met Eireann, we have “absolute drought”. Hard to believe that, but, apparently, absolute drought occurs when you have 15 consecutive days where less than 0.1mm of rainfall is recorded. The absolute drought was recorded at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, but, Dublin Airport was not far behind at all. Proving that last summer was just pants, there has been only 13% of the total July rainfall that occured last year in the month to date. On top of that, we’ve only had 22% of the average July rainfall over the past 50 years.

But, a reminder, whilst out enjoying all this hot, sunny weather, please remember to conserve water, and don’t be wasteful. Water tables are starting to run low, just as consumption is taking a spike due to the hot weather. If this current trend continues (though, I’d imagine rain is not far away), it won’t be long until water shortages start to affect us all.

I (and many like me) have been enjoying the beautiful weather, warm days and long stretches to the evening, bliss.

Another thing I have loved about the weather is that I see much more things to photograph. The first photograph is the Spire on O’Connell, which should be finished soon (O’Connell Street not the Spire) and the second was taken on Grafton Street. Both were taken yesterday evening and there are more on Flickr.

GOOD news for all those sunbathers on Dublin’s beaches, six have been awarded blue flags. These are Dollymount, Malahide, Donabate, Portrane, Killiney and Seapoint. More on the blue flag story here.
I wish I lived near a beach

…With coffee at eleven and a stroll, through Stephen’s Green…

OR, a bottle of West Coast Cooler cunningly disguised as a 7Up bottle, in Stephen’s Green.

When the sun is shining, Dublin really is at its best and it’s so lovely to sit in any of the many parks (Stephen’s Green, Wolfe Tone Park, St Patrick’s Cathedral Park, Tymon North Park in Tallaght, Corkagh Park in Clondalkin, the Phoenix Park the list goes on) and just soak up the rays and relax.

In about 10 minutes, I’m leaving work, jumping on the Luas and heading in to meet friends in Stephen’s Green to catch the last of the sunshine, eat ice-cream and certainly NOT drink illegal alcohol from a plastic bag.

Ah but seriously, bye-laws prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in our parks and green areas are in place and carry a hefty fine if you’re caught, so if you’re a visitor to Dublin and fancy a beer in the sun, just be aware of that and perhaps stick to beer gardens. If however you do have a crafty tipple in the park (as many Dubs do if I’m honest), be sure to clean up after yourself and not overdo the booze and we should all be happy. Bins are provided all over most parks, so do use them and leave our greens as you would like to find them. (That applies to Dubs as well as visitors, we can be a filthy lot when we want to be.)

Enjoy the sun!