Convective/Thunderstorm Discussion 2013/14

Oneiric 3 · 23-12-2013 5:06pm

Storm 10 wrote: »

Jez no more, I had enough thunder and lightning in Galway yesterday to keep me happy.

nacho libre · 23-12-2013 5:31pm

Thundery rain here now, but no thunder so far

Hooter23 · 23-12-2013 6:32pm

There looks to be lightning heading close to Galway city any minute now wait and see.....

http://www.sat24.com/?ir=true&co=false&ra=false&li=true

Edit - Very heavy / almost torrential rain worse than it appears on radar anyway easing up now.....

Oscar Bravo · 23-12-2013 8:09pm

Alot of lightning in the Castlebar area in the past hour. Just white flashes,not fork.

Oscar Bravo · 24-12-2013 10:37am

Nasty thunderstorm in Castlebar now!

eastmayo · 24-12-2013 11:06am

Oscar Bravo wrote: »

Nasty thunderstorm in Castlebar now!

How is it over in castlebar now?any more thunder

snowstreams · 24-12-2013 12:29pm

Lights & laptops all powered down for a few seconds here in Galway city.
Along with a roll of thunder & hail stones!

redsteveireland · 24-12-2013 12:36pm

Lights just flicked off and back on here followed by a nice rumble of thunder. Street lights are on.
Another big flash and a rumble!

eastmayo · 24-12-2013 12:37pm

snowstreams wrote: »

Lights & laptops all powered down for a few here in Galway city.
Along with a roll of thunder & hail stones!

yeah doing well in Galway last few days

eastmayo · 24-12-2013 12:41pm

Can hear thunder in the distance now,,,happy days

Harps · 24-12-2013 1:58pm

Really loud thunder here this morning, still in bed at the time and it made me jump. Heard a house down the road got struck and had their sockets blown out

shmaupel · 24-12-2013 2:00pm

Rte on twitter saying 17500 homes in the northwest without power after lightning.

Where was this I wonder?

Sierra Oscar · 24-12-2013 2:04pm

shmaupel wrote: »

Rte on twitter saying 17500 homes in the northwest without power after lightning.

Where was this I wonder?

Over 17,000 homes in northwest without power as lightning storm hits

ESB Networks says around 17,500 homes are without power this afternoon in the northwest of the country due to a lightning storm.

The areas worst affected are north Mayo and west Galway.

Harps · 24-12-2013 6:19pm

Two separate thunderstorms visible at the same 20 minutes ago, one passed right overhead with torrential hail and another visible to the south over Donegal Bay lighting up the sky. Lights flickering on and off but so far so good

shamwari · 24-12-2013 9:02pm

Posted on http://updatesfromesb.com/

from UpdatesFromESB wrote:

Update: 17:45 December 24

After having restored power to over 20,000 customers in total today through fixing large and smaller faults all around the country, ESB Networks is currently working to minimize the impact of a significant infrastructural fault in Achill Island which was caused by lightning damage. Network Technicians are working to rearrange the network to supply customers from neighboring network in Bangor Erris and Newport. It is hoped to restore supply to many customers in the area through this, however it depends on the level of load in Achill. Therefore we are asking that as customers get electricity restored, to conserve their use as much as possible in order to share the available power. This process will continue through the evening.

More positive news is that supply has been restored to almost all customers in Inis Mór and ESB Networks would like to thank the Coast Guard helicopter service in assisting us in this effort.

Update 15:45 December 24

ESB Networks can report that power has now been restored to 13000 homes and businesses in the West Galway area who were effected by a lightning strike earlier today.

In Achill, investigations showed that the earlier lightning strike caused irreparable damage to the 38kV transformer that supplies all that area. This transformer will need to be replaced which is a huge construction job. ESB Networks Crews will be working on this over the Christmas period, but it will be a few days before it is completed. Lightning that causes this level of damage is a very rare event

Just as an aside to this and given the bad press the ESB have had recently, I say fair play to the workers therein who are out in atrocious and sometimes dangerous conditions to restore power. This is in marked contrast to what's going on in parts of the UK where if you've got no power now, you won't have it back till the day after Christmas. It's rightly provoking an angry reaction and blame is being levelled at the energy companies who, it's being alleged by some, are not prepared to pay overtime to their line staff. :rolleyes: Instead, they are trying to put the blame back on the crews by saying they are downing tools to be with their families for Christmas.

Red Nissan · 25-12-2013 11:53am

shamwari wrote: »

Posted on http://updatesfromesb.com/

Just as an aside to this and given the bad press the ESB have had recently, I say fair play to the workers therein who are out in atrocious and sometimes dangerous conditions to restore power. .

I understand that to be the ESB Network Company.

Storm 10 · 30-12-2013 7:42pm

Belt of rain with embedded thunderstorms will cross the Country tonight according to Met Eireann

Oscar Bravo · 30-12-2013 7:42pm

Gerry Murphy said there are thunderstorms in the band of rain due to cross the country tonight. Must keep an eye out!

Iancar29 · 30-12-2013 8:00pm

Been keeping an eye on it on www.sat24.com

Bejubby · 30-12-2013 8:16pm

Il be right on the south coast tonight so maybe might get some action.

maquiladora · 30-12-2013 8:17pm

Conditions look very marginal for thunderstorm development tonight apart from the coastal west/southwest. I can't imagine any electrified elements embedded in the rain getting very far inland before fizzling.