Cold Spell Discussion (20/12/09) (Heavy snow showers spreading south)

Deep Easterly

Gonzo wrote: »

But not to worry its still only the start of winter, we have another 3 months to come where a good easterly will hopefully happen and deliver us what we want!

Yeah I am with you there Gonzo. Today just looks like any other day and no different to many of the days we had in the "summer". Only difference is that it is a little colder...:pac:

Bring on that easterly you speak off. Proper dry airmass. Can't remember when I last seen anything outside dry here. Looking at constant wet roads and paths gets depressing after a while.

john 1994

im not much of a weather man but i was looking at google earth and over scotland theres a huge band of precipitation and cloud...i was just woundering if that band of clound is goin our direction

nacho libre

owenc wrote: »

so were going to get a blizzard now lol doubt it what do you all expect to come here as for snow and accumulations.....

to be honest i think we've seen most of the activity by now down here. you'll likely still see something more given your location. if that low pressure does move south you can be sure it'll weaken resulting in showering dying off as they travel inland. i just don't know how anyone can favour cold dry weather over lots of sneachta.

billy the squid

john 1994 wrote: »

im not much of a weather man but i was looking at google earth and over scotland theres a huge band of precipitation and cloud...i was just woundering if that band of clound is goin our direction

havent had a chance to look yet, but if you go to the address below and press the play button above the map, you can see what direction the precip is going.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/radar/

IMBACKLATER

this cold snap has been an utter disapointment for me. i have been waiting since wednesday for it. yes it has snowed in some parts of the country but in general i would almost go as far as saying it was/is a non event when one takes into account what was being anticipated.
i live in mayo, it been 0 degrees celius at night , its made some sleet.

big fat deal!

excuse my frustration.:mad:

annoyed weather fan.

IMBACKLATER

i think my frustratio is born out of the ease at which they get snow in the uk and mainland europe and the east coast of america and pretty much everywhere else, i know its only mid december but it seems there always this marginal rubbish hanging over our heads even if its the depths of february.

naughto

was walking home from the pub last night around half 3 or so and it snowed very heavy i was the only one making footprints in the snow it looked mad.dieing to day tho

nacho libre

IMBACKLATER wrote: »

i think my frustratio is born out of the ease at which they get snow in the uk and mainland europe and the east coast of america and pretty much everywhere else, i know its only mid december but it seems there always this marginal rubbish hanging over our heads even if its the depths of february.

but don't you live right beside the sea?? it's even more marginal on the coast even when the cold is well--established inland.
if you are truly dedicated you could venture up croagh patrick

Gonzo

Gonzo wrote: »

I have found that RTE's forecasts have been rite on the mark over the past 2 weeks.

This cold snap in my view has been almost a non-event in most parts of eastern and southern Ireland and a total downgrade of what was originally expected from the FI charts nearly 2 weeks ago, the cold snap arrived 3 to 4 days later than originally thought, the siberian easterly 'blast' lasted about 2 hours only to deliver a few sleety showers on east coast just before it got cold enough to snow and then the winds changed to the north leaving us in dry conditons and then yesterday a weakened front push's south with rain and then 5 minutes of snow on the backedge and thats it for the east.

Temperatures overall have been low but not as low as what was originally expected. There have been no ice days and snow fall has been very marginal in most places that were lucky enough to see any form of preciptation.

RTE always remained cautious about the whole cold snap and they were right in doing so. They have been correct in forecasting this past week taking one day at a time to see what happens coz it was all so uncertain.

But not to worry its still only the start of winter, we have another 3 months to come where a good easterly will hopefully happen and deliver us what we want!

You mean we were all wrong :eek:

No the point I was making earlier about the lunchtime forecast is that Gerry murphy couldn't have been certain about the weekend if he wasn't certain about the mid week period.
He was issuing a hopecast...
A hopecast for mild weathers early return.
In fairness to him,that has a highish likelyhood of happening eventually but whether it happens next weekend or in the early days of the following week certainly isn't certain.

stephen_mch

Its sort of snowing in Galway.........mostly rain but its getting there! slowly.:rolleyes:

Deep Easterly

nacho libre wrote: »

i just don't know how anyone can favour cold dry weather over lots of sneachta.

My yearly rainfall count so far: 1276.4mm. Surely you'd not begrudge me even a week of dry weather from the east?

In a real easterly, near guaranteed an absolute blizzard eventually. You'll see what I mean when we get a proper one again.

Graces7

But do you not see that this is why it means so much to you?

If it happened as it does elsewhere ( and so many have died in the US in these storms this week), it would be ordinary....and thus of little value to you.

Last February? It snowed!

IMBACKLATER wrote: »

i think my frustratio is born out of the ease at which they get snow in the uk and mainland europe and the east coast of america and pretty much everywhere else, i know its only mid december but it seems there always this marginal rubbish hanging over our heads even if its the depths of february.

nacho libre

nacho libre wrote: »

but don't you live right beside the sea?? it's even more marginal on the coast even when the cold is well--established inland.
if you are truly dedicated you could venture up croagh patrick

It's actually the same airmass on the coast as inland with you.
The difference in marginal conditions,extremely marginal like these is that the air mass has dried out a bit when it goes inland or up a hill.
The RH drops a bit as does the dewpoint so you get your snow.

It's not the proximity to the coast per say,it's the wetter airmass.

Hooter23

Heavy snow Galway city now

dloob

Turned to snow now in Galway city.

stephen_mch

Hooter23 wrote: »

Heavy snow Galway city now

If only it would lie :mad:

wild handlin

Heavy snow shower here in Enniskillen now.

nacho libre

Deep Easterly wrote: »

My yearly rainfall count so far: 1276.4mm. Surely you'd not begrudge me even a week of dry weather from the east?

In a real easterly, near guaranteed an absolute blizzard eventually. You'll see what I mean when we get a proper one again.

i suppose not paddy1:)
i would also welcome a proper one that last for two-three weeks at least. resulting in the airstream going all the way out to the mid atlantic with a huge blocking high over greenland. all we seem to get in recent years is one that lasts a couple of days. okay last years was decent for those in the east, but in a really good one even the west can profit. i would really love to see a 1962 type event in my liftetime

cian1500ww

Snowing AGAIN here

nacho libre

Graces7 wrote: »

But do you not see that this is why it means so much to you?

If it happened as it does elsewhere ( and so many have died in the US in these storms this week), it would be ordinary....and thus of little value to you.

Last February? It snowed!

i'm not sure who you are adressing this to, but yes i agree with you. as i stated in the thread about ireland's weather, snow would likely lose some of its charm for me if we were getting it regularly like colder climates do.

wild handlin

I see the UKMO have down-graded their weather warning for snow on Monday for Northern Ireland.......:mad:

dartbhoy

Snowing here and gone very dark in North Cork now. A surprise really because it was bright and sunny until then. Ground starting to whiten now and getting heavier.

Vain

Gone very dark in Tralee Co kerry, dont think its cold enough for snow tho.

Graces7

And yet it would then be a part of life in a way it is not now.

And also it would not cause the chaos and disruption it does now.

People would use snow tyres in winter etc.

I lived many years way up North and we always had heavy snow, so we were ready for it.

Of course, not being a native there, it alway thrilled and delighted; snow on a beach is really special.

So we enjoy it more and in different ways...

Our dogs love it! They bounce around in it..

nacho libre wrote: »

i'm not sure who you are adressing this to, but yes i agree with you. as i stated in the thread about ireland's weather, snow would likely lose some of its charm for me if we were getting it regularly like colder climates do.

dloob

The Galway shower caused quite the temperature from from 4.4 to 1.6 on my thermometer, although it's probably being cooled by the melting snow.

SpitfireIV

Sunny and clear here in Carlow, had a hard frost last night, but no snow. My DP just hit 0c now and air temp is 2.1c

Graces7

Dark with snow here now... Sudden from bright sun....maybe more sleet than snow, or grapeshot! Watching through the window...

Elmer Blooker

IMBACKLATER wrote: »

a significant change in the weather occuring on st. stephens day with a return to southwest winds and rain. back to the usually muck!

I was kind of relieved when I heard that the weather will be back to normal as the Atlantic comes roaring back in. Here on the east coast the cold spell WAS a major let down (yes I know I'm an IMBY)
I'm certain there will be more wintry spells in the new year though. The only time I can recall such a long cold spell before Xmas was the winter of 81/82

hoody

a likely looking shower heading into Loughrea from the west now, gone darker and cooler in the past half hour. hope its the good stuff. anyone know what the road conditions are like from galway to donegal?

Folks.
theres very little certainty that this cold spell will end by the weekend.

I haven't had time to plough through models myself as yet or read other fora but I have seen the recent bbc news 24 forecasts and they are shying away from bringing in the atlantic at the weekend.
If that is delayed...goodness knows what will happen!