WINTER arrived with a vengeance yesterday as bitterly cold winds combined with heavy rain to drive people from the streets.
According to the ESB, the severe weather also drove electricity consumers to use a record number of megawatts.
Mr Michael Kelly, of the ESB, said 3,097 MW of electricity use was recorded at the national control centre in Dublin on Monday at5.45 p.m.
"It was very cold, very windy and a very wet night and obviously there is a growing number of consumers all the time."
Hours later, an Atlantic depression caused the north-east gales, with almost two inches of rain since midnight on Monday.
A spokesman at Met Eireann said that, although it had been the worst weather this winter, two inches of rain in 15 hours was not unusual for the months of November and December.
The reversal of the country's prevailing south-west winds meant Donegal and parts of north Mayo and Sligo were unscathed while there were winds of 45 to 50 m.p.h. on the Irish Sea.
Mr Kelly said the use of household appliances peaked just before teatime, coinciding with a period when industries were still consuming power.