The calendar says it is spring but the Irish public knows better. The recent good weather has got us out of hibernation and behaving like it's the height of summer - and the ESB has the figures to prove it.
Electricity usage has plummeted over the past few days as the sun emerged from behind the clouds.
Our collective electricity demand is now more like that of full summer than early spring, according to Mr Michael Power, the power system control manager of the ESB's national grid.
The last few nights saw heavy frosts in some areas and only moderate daytime temperatures but the bright weather has us convinced that summer has already arrived.
The same cold temperatures in winter would have us using 80,000 million watt hours of electricity a day, Mr Power said. However, the fine weather has demand down to 69,000 million watt hours. Last June 21st, demand was about 63,000 million watt hours.
Mr Power put this fall in usage down to the fine weather. People are more inclined to be out and about when the sun shines.
We are slower to put on the heating in the evening and the late evening sun makes us slower to switch on the lights, all contributing to lower electricity demand.
We are creatures of habit when it comes to electricity usage, according to Mr Power.
Peaks in demand occurred each day in a predictable way, depending on the time of year.
There is the lunchtime rush as soup and sandwiches are served and kettles boil across the State.
A second peak comes at about 5.45 p.m. when many workers come home for dinner, pushing demand to a maximum during the winter months.
The summer sees one more peak as we switch on lights at sunset from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.
"Come late February you can see how the evening peak drifts away from 5.45 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 7 p.m," Mr Power said. The change to summertime also helps push this peak back.
The recent "very bright and clear" evenings have moved the peak back still further, however, to 8.30 p.m. or 9 p.m. and towards that typical for the summer.
We can expect more of the same for the rest of the week, according to forecasters at Met Éireann.
High pressure means it will be dry and clear, with plenty of sunshine during the day but cold and frosty at night.
