When temperatures soar, so does the danger of drowning as the water is still bitter cold.
A balmy bank holiday will see swimmers take the first plunge of the year but warm air does not mean warm water, an expert has warned.
Coastal shores will remain as low as 10 degrees and a chillier 8 degrees inland.
A spokesman for Water Safety Ireland said: “The 22 degrees warm weather forecast for the bank holiday weekend increases the risk of drownings, as warmer air temperatures can tempt people to go swimming in waters that are still cold.
“Survival time is greatly reduced for someone immersed in cold water which drains body heat much faster than cold air."
And parents should be on guard as kids are most at risk.
“Children cool even faster than adults because they are smaller and have less fat.”
He explained the dangers of cold water immersion.
“When cold water makes contact with your skin, the cold shock response causes an immediate loss of breathing control, possible dizziness and panic.
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“This dramatically increases the risk of sudden drowning even if the water is calm and you know how to swim.
The body’s natural reaction is to try and swim, but the advice is actually to stay calm and just float and call for help.
He said: “Avoid swimming, stay calm and relax. Float or tread water and if possible get as much of your body out of the water because you will always cool faster in water than in air."
