First snow of the year!

Wolfe_IRE

Snowfall in Kilfinane, Limerick, this morning. Image Veronica Santorum-Crespo (via Twitter). At an elevation of over 150 metres, Kilfinane is the highest town in County Limerick. It is surrounded on three sides by the Ballyhoura Mountains, and on the fourth side is the "Golden Vale" region

seven_eleven

Holy crap holy crap HOLY CRAP! MOOOOREEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Blanket the entire country. Shut us down for weeks!

Mr Benevolent

seven_eleven wrote: »

Holy crap holy crap HOLY CRAP! MOOOOREEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Blanket the entire country. Shut us down for weeks!

That would cause a lot of economic damage and put more people on the dole. The country can't afford that for another year.

Spindle

Glenviewjf wrote: »

It even made the Echo!

http://www.eveningecho.ie/2012/11/01/wrap-up-warm-its-the-first-of-snovember/

So it does snow in Cork and Limerick then!

lucylu

khc wrote: »

great picture in the Echo! anyone know if the wicklow mountains got some snow?

no snow on Wicklow mountains very very dense fog down this morning instead

SEPT 23 1989

Confab wrote: »

That would cause a lot of economic damage and put more people on the dole. The country can't afford that for another year.

Sponge Bob

t|nt|n wrote: »

Re: Cork Snow, nothing showing up on the radar

CORK snow is special. That's why.

khc

lucylu wrote: »

no snow on Wicklow mountains very very dense fog down this morning instead

darn, i'd love a snowy hike up djouce...

Tactical

Spindle wrote: »

So it does snow in Cork and Limerick then!

Absolutely it snows in Cork and Limerick :eek:

Sure didn't plenty of pictures were posted from the snow events of recent years!

Hopefully we'll see lots more this year

Tactical

Confab wrote: »

That would cause a lot of economic damage and put more people on the dole. The country can't afford that for another year.

It's not snow that causes economic damage, it's the lack of preparedness by us as a nation.

Snow doesn't put people on the dole, how many did the last falls cause to loose their jobs and end up on the dole as a direct result.

There was a totally inadequate response at local authority and governmental level to road conditions but that's another story.

My work depends on being mobile and personally I travelled all over the country on a variety of roads and didn't encounter any difficulty or conditions that couldn't be overcome with the proper approach. During the two years of decent snow we encountered I was fortunate enough to see pretty much the worst of conditions.

Basically if a person is prepared then the level of difficulty encountered can be minimised. The Nordic countries operate with minimal difficulties during the time of snow and icy conditions they encounter.

Tactical

khc wrote: »

darn, i'd love a snowy hike up djouce...

Hiking in the snow is fantastic :D;)

Anyone suitably equipped should avail of any such opportunity presented.

HellFireClub

lucylu wrote: »

no snow on Wicklow mountains very very dense fog down this morning instead

Noticed it this morning when I got up, seemed to be up at the summit of the Dublin Mountains though and not down at sea level...

Rasmus

Tactical wrote: »

It's not snow that causes economic damage, it's the lack of preparedness by us as a nation.
The Nordic countries operate with minimal difficulties during the time of snow and icy conditions they encounter.

Nordic governments need to have practical facilities in place for at least four months of the year to keep things running normally in winter conditions. Countries where 'winter' is guaranteed this is a necessity. If the Irish government spent millions investing in snow ploughs, resurfacing roads, implementing mandatory tire changes and ordered people to shovel snow from in front of their properties, it would be a waste of money and people would yet again complain. More taxes for a heavy snowfall that comes maybe every 10 or more years? There's no comparison to be made here between Ireland and Northern European countries, but I'd agree that the Irish government should at least have better protocols in place to deal with the example of 2 yrs ago.

Wolfe_IRE

Tactical wrote: »

It's not snow that causes economic damage, it's the lack of preparedness by us as a nation..

UKMO has just issued a press release
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/archive/2012/cold-weather-plan

I'm sure our national agency (ies) will be out with theirs soon.

Sponge Bob

Rasmus wrote: »

If the Irish government spent millions investing in snow ploughs, resurfacing roads, implementing mandatory tire changes and ordered people to shovel snow from.......

The Irish government (NRA) imported very little salt this year...if indeed any.

Wolfe_IRE

Sponge Bob wrote: »

The Irish government (NRA) imported very little salt this year...if indeed any.

I think that has to do with last year's mild winter. Having said that Clare coco did get an extra 1500 tonnes or so for this winter on top of its existing stockpile of 1500 from last year's leftovers
http://www.clareherald.com/2012/11/council-stockpiles-3000-tonnes-of-salt.html

loveisdivine

Confab wrote: »

That would cause a lot of economic damage and put more people on the dole. The country can't afford that for another year.

Booo! We'll have none of that around here thanks.

Seriously though, how does the weather effect how many people are on the dole More like some people just want to moan about anything. In the industry I work in, business always picks up because we get more bodywork

Tactical

Rasmus wrote: »

Nordic governments need to have practical facilities in place for at least four months of the year to keep things running normally in winter conditions. Countries where 'winter' is guaranteed this is a necessity. If the Irish government spent millions investing in snow ploughs, resurfacing roads, implementing mandatory tire changes and ordered people to shovel snow from in front of their properties, it would be a waste of money and people would yet again complain. More taxes for a heavy snowfall that comes maybe every 10 or more years? There's no comparison to be made here between Ireland and Northern European countries, but I'd agree that the Irish government should at least have better protocols in place to deal with the example of 2 yrs ago.

Asking people to clear snow from outside their properties is a good idea and shouldn't cost the government a cent. We already have snow ploughs, these get used on motorways and national primary routes, so again no major expenditure other than maintenace and operating costs.

Why would mandatory tyre changes cost the government money? I would have thought such a road safety requirement would be welcome in terms of safety and extra revenue from sales and employment?

Yes, you're right, people would complain. I feel that is something we do far too well in Ireland. If we took the energy used in complaining and grumbling, putting it into practical measures it would possibly create a feel good factor and accomplish something useful.

The government do need to review the protocols surrounding severe weather! However it's really our own attitudes to severe weather we need to change and take some of the responsibility ourselves. For example, during the last snow events all my neighbours water supplies froze yet mine remained running. Why? Simple, I took the time to bury itroperly and insulate where needed tomtryband prevent freezing. Didn't cost me thousands or even hundreds, just a little planning and a few quid on some insulation.

I do think there is a valid comparison to be made between Ireland and the Nordic countries, the comparison is in attitudes.

JanuarySnowstor

I did say last weekend that hilly parts could see some snowfall during the week.
Right again JS:D

Friday night looks very intersting to me and hilly parts of the West could easily see snow inc Cork!

Further on in wkd turning less cold, from a snowfall point of view

Tactical

Wolfe_IRE wrote: »

I think that has to do with last year's mild winter. Having said that Clare coco did get an extra 1500 tonnes or so for this winter on top of its existing stockpile of 1500 from last year's leftovers
http://www.clareherald.com/2012/11/council-stockpiles-3000-tonnes-of-salt.html

Can you send some to Limerick CoCo? They seem to use the stuff sparingly, unlike the amount of money wasted on other things like inadequate road repairs, inadequate road drainage and poor quality road maintenance. It's nearly bluddy impossible to get them to act unless you get a senior manager to listen to your complaint and propose a solution for them. Grrrrrrr. Rant over.

Rasmus

Asking people to clear snow from outside their properties is a good idea and shouldn't cost the government a cent. We already have snow ploughs, these get used on motorways and national primary routes, so again no major expenditure other than maintenace and operating costs.

To allow business to run as normal, there were need to be a lot more ploughs on the roads.

Why would mandatory tyre changes cost the government money?

It wouldn't, this would go under the people complaining about stuff list. This example was for illustrative purposes, showing the differences between climates etc.

The government do need to review the protocols surrounding severe weather! However it's really our own attitudes to severe weather we need to change and take some of the responsibility ourselves. For example, during the last snow events all my neighbours water supplies froze yet mine remained running. Why? Simple, I took the time to bury itroperly and insulate where needed tomtryband prevent freezing. Didn't cost me thousands or even hundreds, just a little planning and a few quid on some insulation.

You've hit the nail on the head there. Folks indeed need to take responsibility. It irritates me when I see people warning others to leave their taps running overnight to prevent the pipes freezing.

PS sorry about the bold text, I can't multiquote.

leahyl

JanuarySnowstor wrote: »

I did say last weekend that hilly parts could see some snowfall during the week.
Right again JS:D

Friday night looks very intersting to me and hilly parts of the West could easily see snow inc Cork!
Further on in wkd turning less cold, from a snowfall point of view

Good man JS:D

DOCARCH

I'd say the higher parts of the Dublin and Wicklow Mountains should get a dusting of snow this evening.

Light rain here now. 4.6c atm.

Rasmus

Anyone have a link to a site that lists elevations of all Irish towns?

JanuarySnowstor

The PPN this evening could also quite easily turn to sleet/snow for hilly areas, though a lesser risk than tomorrow night.
I'm surprised there's no reports of snow out there at the moment

Larbre34

Sponge Bob wrote: »

The Irish government (NRA) imported very little salt this year...if indeed any.

All the specialist salt barn storage capacity is full, including the extra provided after the two bad winters, it was barely touched last season.

However, if a long continuous period of ice and snow were to occur again, the stock would not be enough to cope for more than 10 days, so the priority would be to secure guaranteed import supply and clear distribution routes

Wolfe_IRE

Rasmus wrote: »

Anyone have a link to a site that lists elevations of all Irish towns?

Here you go Rasmus. Just use altitude tool for your location
http://www.earthtools.org/

Rasmus

Wolfe_IRE wrote: »

Here you go Rasmus. Just use altitude tool for your location
http://www.earthtools.org/

amazing, thanks : )

munsterlegend

leahyl wrote: »

Good man JS:D

Cork the HQ of snow Winter 2012!

HellFireClub

EDIT: Just had this posted in my Timeline on Facebook...