Thursday Night Storm Waterford Éowyn

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Post on Jan 22, 2025

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Thursday Night Storm: Waterford's Éowyn and the Great Power Outage of '23

Okay, so, picture this: it's Thursday. Think TGIF is almost here, right? Wrong. It was Thursday, October 26th, 2023, to be exact, and Waterford, Ireland, got absolutely hammered. I mean, hammered. Not just a little rain, we're talking a full-on, biblical-level downpour. The kind that makes you question your life choices. Especially my choice to live in a house built sometime before the invention of decent weatherproofing.

The Night the Lights Went Out

I was just finishing up dinner – had made a killer shepherd's pie, if I do say so myself – when bam! The power went out. Just like that. Poof! Gone. No warning, no nothing. Just darkness and the sound of the wind howling like a banshee. My phone, bless its cotton socks, still had a little charge left. That's when I checked the news and saw the chaos unfolding across Waterford. Turns out, this wasn't just a localized thing; this was a major power outage. Apparently, Éowyn, a ridiculously strong storm, had decided Waterford was its personal punching bag.

This wasn’t just any storm, people. It was Éowyn, which sounds all majestic and medieval, right? But no. This was seriously intense. The wind was relentless, tearing through everything in its path. I'm talking full-on gale-force winds. I actually saw a trampoline go airborne from my neighbor's yard. A trampoline! I kid you not! And it almost landed on my prize-winning petunias (which, thankfully, survived). It was honestly scary.

I spent the rest of the night huddled under a blanket with a half-eaten shepherd’s pie getting cold beside me, cursing the elements. My candles flickered dramatically in the wind, casting long, spooky shadows on the wall. I felt like I was starring in a low-budget horror film.

My phone's battery gave out around 11 pm, so my knowledge of the storm was cut off until I was able to charge my phone the following day.

Lessons Learned (The Hard Way)

So, what did I learn from this whole crazy experience? A few things, actually.

• Emergency Kit: This is a no-brainer, but I'm shockingly bad at it. I needed more candles, extra batteries for my flashlight and radio, and a proper wind-up torch – the battery-operated one died faster than the power. I know, I know, I should have already been prepared, and this is something I am fixing immediately, as a top priority.
• Neighbours Helping Neighbours: Despite the chaos, our community really pulled together. I saw people checking on each other, sharing food, and helping clear debris. You know, that's the stuff of humanity that warms my heart, and it reminds me why I chose to live in such an amazing community.
• ESB Website: The ESB (Electricity Supply Board) website was a lifesaver! I know it wasn't working immediately, but eventually I learned to find information about the power outages there. They had updated information about when power would be restored. I suggest bookmarking it for future emergencies. I’ve been checking their live outages regularly since the storm. It’s pretty useful.

The power was finally restored around midday on Friday. It felt like a miracle. The whole situation really hammered home the importance of preparedness, community, and reliable information sources. And to think, I almost skipped putting those extra batteries in my emergency kit… close call! I'll never forget Thursday night storm Waterford's Éowyn. The whole thing truly was something else.

Stay Safe, Waterford!

Remember, folks, these kind of severe weather events happen, so it's always best to be prepared. Stock up on essentials and familiarize yourself with your local emergency services. And most importantly, keep an eye on that weather report! You might just save yourself a very long, cold, and dark night.