National: Severe Cold/ Snow Discussion (Thanks to all!)

DominoDub

I see that extra long "Streamer" in the Irish Sea is bending a bit more to the East.

The radar run from this morning makes it look like the output of an Icelandic Volcano

Slashermcguirk

Sweet mother of all that is good and pure.....freezing in the city centre. Every car driving by covered in snow with huge icicles hanging off underside beside the tyres. This really has been an epic winter / year to date. 2010 will always be rembered particularly by the boards crowd. Fair play to ye all and have a very merry white Christmas !

morticia2

Weathercheck wrote: »

Who knows we might not see it again for another 30 years.

Dunno about 'dat. I'd be amazed after this Nov/Dec if the whole of Jan-Mar was warm.

To the person who can't believe the temp can move 20 degrees in a few hours; welcome to Alberta......Ooops....WTF???

The other half went out into the back garden in dressing gown to top up bird table, yelling that is was only -2 as he went.

We're adapting to the Siberian conditions, folks.

Joke: how do you know it's spring in Alberta??
It's only -2 and someone's been spotted outside in shorts

mwahhhahhhaha

irishmotorist

Weathercheck wrote: »

And we marked it tonight with the coldest ever temperature @ Dublin Airport.

What temperature did it reach? Where can I see that? I can only see current temps on Met Eireann...

Mr.Crinklewood

Weather was far worse back in 1982. Back then the snow was way above my waste, now it is just below my knee.

spurious

Mr.Crinklewood wrote: »

Weather was far worse back in 1982. Back then the snow was way above my waste, now it is just below my knee.

I don't remember 1982 as being colder, but Mr. Crinklewood is right, there was much more snow.

Archeron

Mr.Crinklewood wrote: »

Weather was far worse back in 1982. Back then the snow was way above my waste, now it is just below my knee.

I was thinking that too, but I'm not sure how accurate I would be, as in 1982, I was 6 years old and my waist was probably around knee high to modern me. Some places I have been in over the snow has been the deepest snow in Ireland I've ever walked in that I can remember.

fizzycyst

Beautiful sunny crisp morning here in Waterford city, -2.9c at the moment.

Happy christmas to everyone here

Mitch Buchannon

irishmotorist wrote: »

What temperature did it reach? Where can I see that? I can only see current temps on Met Eireann...

I have looked at the last 30 metars for DUB and the coldest it got according to them was -11c @ 0630z.

240630 S 29012KT 9999 FEW040 M11/M11 Q1023 NOSIG 10890395

For those that dont know, Metars are like "weather pictures" which record the exact wind direction, wind speed, viz, clouds, temp, dew point, QNH at a particular time (every 30min). The last bit (the row of numbers) on the metar is called a motne snowtam.

H2UMrsRobinson

Well this thread seems to have gone a bit quiet and seeing as it's Christmas Eve I'd better turn my attentions back to the family before they disown/divorce me.
It's been pretty wild ride so far and I'm sure we haven't seen the last of the snow. I may pop my head in the door if anything new develops but for now I would like to wish all my fellow Boardsies a very happy Christmas and a Joyful and hopefully snowy New Year !

P. Breathnach

Can anybody tell me of the driving conditions on the M1 heading towards Dublin? I find reports of black ice south of Balbriggan, but no information on gritting or salting.

rebel10

I cannot express to ye here how much i hate this weather.:(

3 of my family members were supposed to fly home last night byt their flight was cancelled into Dublin. We were hoping they might divert flights to another airport but alas no. That means it is just me and my mother at home for Xmas.:( The turkey has been cancelled because it would be wasted here. So, so sad. The sadest thing of all though, is listening to them telling me about the different sad stories they have heard while at the airport for the last 24 hours. One mother with her two young sons stranded and staying in a hostel for Xmas, next flight is Tuesday via London for all of them.:(

I know many here would curse me for saying it, but i really hope i never see snow again. Tis gonna be a sad and lonely Xmas for many:(

cabot

There are some sad tales but you and your family are safe, its not the end of the world that people cant make it home for Christmas.

amacachi

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Can anybody tell me of the driving conditions on the M1 heading towards Dublin? I find reports of black ice south of Balbriggan, but no information on gritting or salting.

Heard it was horrendus last night but buses are operating more or less as planned so it must be fairly passable.

Elmer Blooker

11 am ME reports: Knock Airport +2, Claremorris up the road -12.
bet no one can explain that! bizzare!

InchicoreDude

11 am ME reports: Knock Airport +2, Claremorris up the road -12.
bet no one can explain that! bizzare!

Surely, that cant be correct???

snubbleste

Elmer Blooker wrote: »

11 am ME reports: Knock Airport +2, Claremorris up the road -12.
bet no one can explain that! bizzare!

Is the weather station at Knock directly situated behind the take-off runway?

Miz.

Mr.Crinklewood wrote: »

Weather was far worse back in 1982. Back then the snow was way above my waste, now it is just below my knee.

Is there any chance you are a little taller then you were in 1982? :D

Slashermcguirk

expected afternoon high of -3 degrees for Dublin today. Still only -7 at Dublin airport at midday !!

ms1968

rebel10 wrote: »

I cannot express to ye here how much i hate this weather.:(

3 of my family members were supposed to fly home last night byt their flight was cancelled into Dublin. We were hoping they might divert flights to another airport but alas no. That means it is just me and my mother at home for Xmas.:( The turkey has been cancelled because it would be wasted here. So, so sad. The sadest thing of all though, is listening to them telling me about the different sad stories they have heard while at the airport for the last 24 hours. One mother with her two young sons stranded and staying in a hostel for Xmas, next flight is Tuesday via London for all of them.:(

I know many here would curse me for saying it, but i really hope i never see snow again. Tis gonna be a sad and lonely Xmas for many:(

Hear, hear. I absolutely hate the stuff. I appreciate that there are many on this thread who love it, but IMO we as a nation, are not built for these situations. I expect I'll be vilified or bumped from this thread for saying this....... Frozen out, if you will

sushisushi

Some snippets from the Irish Times, 9th January 1982:

Normal life throughout much of the country was brought to a complete standstill last night as a result of the worst winter storm for many years. And the Meterological Service warned that the Arctic weather is likely to become even more severe over the weekend.
Roads in many areas, particularly around Dublin, were made impassable by packed snow. Thousands of homes were thrown into darkness by ESB power failures. Train services were cancelled. Buses operated only a limited service. Dublin airport closed down and shipping services were badly affected

In the face of snow drifts up to 10 feet high and with road signs practically obliterated by the blizzard, many motorists simply abandoned their cars and walked the rest of the way home. Meanwhile, the few shops which remained open yesterday evening reported panic-buying of milk, butter and bread.

During the night, hundreds of motorists were rescued from their cars in deep snow on the Naas dual carriageway, on the main Dublin/Swords Road and on the Finglas Road in Dublin. A Garda spokesman said that 250 people rescued from their cars on the dual carriageway were being cared for overnight in the Aer Lingus maintenance plant on the Naas Road. They had been given food by the gardai and the Army was being asked to help this morning. At Kiely's Pub on the Swords Road, about 450 people have taken refuge. A garda spokesman said the situation was nearing a state of emergency.
The RUC, using mechanical diggers, rescued some 200 people trapped in cars along the main Dundalk/Newry road. The rescuers cut through waist-high drifts and took the people to church halls to spend the night. The salvation Army was called in to help with catering.
Many villages and towns in south Armagh and south Down were isolated by the snowstorm. Eight children stranded in a bus in the area were taken to a pub to spend the night.

Sounds like an insane situation and very severe heavy snow in a very short period of time indeed. Also, fairly widespread over the country. I also found this snippet from an article with the Met Office defending its forecasting:

The present conditions are due to a slow movement northwards of a large warm front into an anti-cyclonic area stationary to the North, associated with strong easterly winds which caused yesterday's blizzards. Similar weather affected Britain in the last few weeks but missed us. Similar situations arise regularly during the winter months, but usually we miss the worst effects… The cold spell before Christmas has been escrowed as one of the most severe since 1947. The cold weather between January and March that year was the worst in living memory and snow lasted in some places intuit he month of May.

Birdnuts

Elmer Blooker wrote: »

11 am ME reports: Knock Airport +2, Claremorris up the road -12.
bet no one can explain that! bizzare!

Since cold air is heavier then warm air the coldest air on still nights collects in lower lying areas. Knock is at 700 ft while Claremorries is at least 400ft lower - so cold air spills off the hills and into the valleys, hence the often massive temp difference:)

irish1967

Elmer Blooker wrote: »

11 am ME reports: Knock Airport +2, Claremorris up the road -12.
bet no one can explain that! bizzare!

Oh god !! Another flipping Miracle !

ardmacha

Many villages and towns in south Armagh and south Down were isolated by the snowstorm. Eight children stranded in a bus in the area were taken to a pub to spend the night.

Being from that part of the world, this is quite true. Many other people spent the night in other people's houses depending on where they ended up. I doubt if a single person anywhere in the country was trapped by the present snow in this way.

milly4ever

some light snow falling here now

amacachi

The Article sushisushi posted wrote:

The RUC

Is this from the '82 storm? :pac:

sushisushi

amacachi wrote: »

Is this from the '82 storm? :pac:

Some snippets from the Irish Times, 9th January 1982:

Soldie

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Can anybody tell me of the driving conditions on the M1 heading towards Dublin? I find reports of black ice south of Balbriggan, but no information on gritting or salting.

The gritting and/or salting is quite sporadic (perhaps because you go through three county councils?); the outside lane can be a bit treacherous, but the inside lane is fine so long as you take it easy. The traffic has the potential to be quite bad, though.

Perhaps this will help: http://www.dublincity.ie/dublintraffic/

mac80

M1 is fine in the left lane as far as Balbriggan then its hard compacted ice very slippy.
It might have improved in the last few hours though.
All roads around the airport are lethal also !

Mac

John.Icy

In terms of level snow depths, this event is actually rather close to 1982 in some area's. However, we do not have high winds to blow our snow into mega snow drifts, ala 1982, therefore, we cannot really compare the two events really, different circumstances.