Why early-warning systems matter more than ever

Long before sensors and satellites, people used whatever tools they had to read the world around them. In fact, the earliest warning systems were rooted in observation, culture and instinct — but sensors, algorithms and automated texts are now being employed in places such as Midleton in Cork

Catastrophic flooding in Midleton with drone footage showing the scale of the floods during Storm Babet in 2023. Picture: Guileen Coastguard

The best early-warning systems all do the same simple thing — they buy us time. Time to move a car, lift stock, protect a home, or in the most serious cases, get out of the way. Whether it’s a river quietly rising or a storm rolling in from the Atlantic, the power of an early-warning system lies not in predicting the future perfectly, but in giving people a head start.

What makes a good system work is straightforward. It must detect danger early, communicate clearly, and prompt effective action. It is a chain with no weak links. You need reliable observations, a way to interpret them, and a community that trusts the information enough to respond. When all of that lines up, early alerts can dramatically reduce damage... even if the hazard itself can’t be stopped.