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RTÉ News
22-04-2025
- Climate
- RTÉ News
Ireland 'incredibly lucky' to escape devastating floods during Storm Éowyn
The country was "incredibly lucky" to avoid devastating flooding during Storm Éowyn as new research shows if it had hit Ireland a week earlier, sea levels could have reached over 5m above normal in some parts. Researchers from the University of Galway said the data recovered from the hours around Storm Éowyn "shows just how narrowly tens of thousands of people avoided tidal inundation and threats to cities, towns and coastal communities." During the storm on 24 January, record-breaking wind gusts of 184km/h were recorded, causing an estimated €200 million in damage and leaving 768,000 electricity customers without power. The highest 10-minute wind speed reached 142 km/h at the Atmospheric Research Station in Ceann Mhása, Co Galway. The study from the University of Galway found Éowyn "generated the highest storm surges ever recorded at key locations on Ireland's western seaboard". Dr Niall Madden, Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at University of Galway, said the country was "incredibly lucky". "The worst of the storm surge coincided with a low and ebbing tide. Had it hit just a few hours earlier, on a full or flooding tide, Galway could have been dealing with a double disaster of record high winds and record high flooding," he said. Dr Indiana Olbert, of the School of Engineering, said the study also "shows that a rise in mean sea level rise will significantly increase the risk of coastal flooding in the future". "It is hard to imagine how narrowly we avoided unprecedented storm surge flooding and an inundation, in particular in towns and cities," Dr Olbert said. The research team analysed sea level information from 47 datasets and found levels were "more than 2.5m above the normal predicted tidal water level". The storm surge peaked at 2.60m above the normal predicted astronomical tide at Galway Port and 2.70m above tidal level at Shannon Airport. The highest surge recorded along the western coastline was 2.99m above tidal level at Limerick Docks. "Had these surges occurred a week earlier during the high water spring tide, the water levels would have been much higher, with data predicting that the water level at Galway Port would have reached 4.96m, Limerick Dock at 5.85m, and Shannon Airport at 5.43m above mean sea level, inundating the areas," the study found. Dr Olbert said the research also found "the drivers of flooding in Ireland show that the anthropogenic climate change - that's the changes related to human activity - will drive more extreme rainfall and generate more intense flooding. "Such changes are likely to continue with further warming. In future we will witness more extreme weather events that will result in devastating floods," she added.
Irish Times
21-04-2025
- Climate
- Irish Times
‘Incredibly lucky': Low tides meant many areas avoided flooding and inundation during Storm Éowyn
Storm Éowyn generated the highest storm surges ever recorded on Ireland's western seaboard, a research team at the University of Galway has found, with thousands living in coastal areas 'narrowly' avoiding devastating flooding. One of the most powerful storms to strike Ireland in decades, Éowyn brought record-breaking winds of 184km/h in late January and, at its peak, left 768,000 premises without power and 200,000 without water. However, despite its severe impact, a research team at the University of Galway's School of Engineering found it was 'incredibly lucky' that many areas avoided unprecedented storm surge flooding and inundation thanks to a low and ebbing tide. Analysing sea level data, provided by the Irish National Tide Gauge Network and the Office of Public Works, the team noted storm surges measuring more than 2.5 metres above the normal tidal level in three areas. READ MORE At Galway Port, the storm surge peaked at 2.6 metres, the highest ever recorded at the station since the network's operation began in 2007. 'That's nearly 20 years of data collected several times an hour and it's way above anything we've had so far,' said lead researcher Dr Indiana Olbert. The highest storm surge along the western coastline was recorded at Limerick Docks, reaching 2.99 meters above normal tidal level, while at Shannon Airport, a surge of 2.7 metres was recorded. Storm Éowyn's landfall on January 24th coincided with outgoing water, meaning there was little to no flooding impacts. However, had the surges occurred a week earlier during the spring tide, data suggests the water level would have reached 4.96 metres above the normal tidal level at Galway Port, 5.43 metres at Shannon Airport and 5.85 metres at Limerick Docks, 'inundating the areas'. The timing 'saved' the areas including Spanish Arch and Salthill in Galway from 'devastating' floods, Dr Olbert said. Had the surges peaked even several hours earlier during a higher tide, it would have resulted in significant flooding. Dr Olbert said climate change related to human activity will result in more extreme weather events and 'devastating' floods in the future, while a rise in the mean sea level puts coastal areas in particular at risk. 'The data we have recovered from the hours around Storm Éowyn shows just how narrowly tens of thousands of people avoided tidal inundation and threats to cities, towns and coastal communities,' she said. The research, she said, reinforces the need for increased flood defence systems, alongside adequate warning systems. Despite Storm Éowyn's impact, 'in an odd way, we were incredibly lucky,' said Dr Niall Madden of the university's School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences. 'Had it hit just a few hours earlier, on a full or flooding tide, Galway could have been dealing with a double disaster of record-high winds and record-high flooding,' he said.
