The Best\Longest Summers in Memory Discussion

Oneiric 3

NoCrackHaving wrote: »

Does anyone know what caused 1995 to be so hot? Presuming some jet stream alteration over the North Atlantic?

Throughout July & August we had an extension of the Azores ridge placed right over Ireland. This, combined with dry, sunny conditions with predominantly light winds allowed temps to soar.


Data from ERA 40

Schadenfreudia

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

Throughout July & August we had an extension of the Azores ridge placed right over Ireland. This, combined with dry, sunny conditions with predominantly light winds allowed temps to soar.


Data from ERA 40

I remember a feature of July/August was that a light NE drift was sustained, and despite being reinforced by a sea breeze the temperature here, just five miles inland, frequently reached the mid to high twenties.

The sunshine was, of course, endless - there was no grass - it was all burnt brown and the trees were shedding by the first week of August.

Many mature beech trees were killed by the drought.

Happy days

Rikand

Played golf all day every day for the 3 months we were off from secondary school. 1995 was incredible

Clonmel1000

Anyone on here old enough to talk about the summers of 75 when I was born or 76?

Schadenfreudia

Clonmel1000 wrote: »

Anyone on here old enough to talk about the summers of 75 when I was born or 76?

Yes

1976 was without doubt the best summer in the past 50 years after 1995, by a mile. (those two really leave all the others behind in terms of longevity, sunshine, dryness, geographical extent and temperature)

1975 was very long and dry but may have been cool and cloudy; certainly much better than average.

Record number of rainless days-in-a-row in Dublin.

OI OI

Couldnt agree more Schadenfreudia (fellow Kilternan boardsie), I can remember all the documentaries of the early 90's saying global warming would mean a south of France climate in the south and east of Ireland, the effects of gloabal warming have been constantly pushed back for 30 years now, the drastic climate switch is always just around the corner
Tomorrows world did a doumentary saying that by 2005 there would be massive worldwide disruption and climate shifts.

Clonmel1000

Thanks guys I see 1973 mentioned also. Was this a particularly good summer to warrant a mention?

Schadenfreudia

Clonmel1000 wrote: »

Thanks guys I see 1973 mentioned also. Was this a particularly good summer to warrant a mention?

May have been better than average like 2013/14 - but it doesn't stick out in my memory.

I'm surprised 73 is on the list but not 75.

Also 83 and 84 are missing, 83 had a very hot dry July/August after a very bad June. It set many temperature records.

Schadenfreudia

maquiladora wrote: »

Poulter index puts the top 3 summers in the past 100 years as

1995
1976
2006

It would be interesting to see the top ten here - I'd wager that 1983 would be in the top five.

sryanbruen

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

Throughout July & August we had an extension of the Azores ridge placed right over Ireland. This, combined with dry, sunny conditions with predominantly light winds allowed temps to soar.

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July 1995 wasn't dry always and on the 16th, I had my (2nd now) wettest July day on record with 42.4mm which was over 78% of my monthly total for that month.

Schadenfreudia

sryanbruen wrote: »

July 1995 wasn't dry always and on the 16th, I had my (2nd now) wettest July day on record with 42.4mm which was over 78% of my monthly total for that month.

Sometimes that happens - yesterday here over 25% percent of the total Summer rainfall so far fell in about 18 hours from midnight.

Or put another way it was equal to 33% of the total summer rainfall before yesterday!

Bet the 16th was a Sunday - there was a match on in Croke Park and it was almost washed by the first rain in weeks...

sryanbruen

The longest Summer (my definition: long periods of dry, warm and sunny conditions) at Grange was Summer 2006. Unlike July 1995 which broke the period of dry weather set in June, most of Summer 2006 recorded less than 12mm until August when I recorded 52.3mm and was still below the average though. July 2006 was one of my driest months on record as I recorded only 3.8mm and this was all recorded on 1 day, the 8th!

Schadenfreudia

sryanbruen wrote: »

The longest Summer (my definition: long periods of dry, warm and sunny conditions) at Grange was Summer 2006. Unlike July 1995 which broke the period of dry weather set in June, most of Summer 2006 recorded less than 12mm until August when I recorded 52.3mm and was still below the average though. July 2006 was one of my driest months on record as I recorded only 3.8mm and this was all recorded on 1 day, the 8th!

I don't think 2006 was even in the same division as 1995! - only '76 comes close

According to Poulter (and my records) is was #3 though......

sryanbruen

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

I don't think 2006 was even in the same division as 1995! - only '76 comes close

According to Poulter (and my records) is was #3 though......

As I said July 1995's heavy downpours was the downfall to it that Summer 2006 was better - at least in my area though is nothing still compared to the August drought.

Schadenfreudia

sryanbruen wrote: »

As I said July 1995's heavy downpours was the downfall to it that Summer 2006 was better - at least in my area though is nothing still compared to the August drought.

And I'd add the survey results here to my 'Book of Evidence' - the micro within a micro climate!

Remember you got 22mm on the 19th (last week) when DA and Phoenix Park got 11mm - and the South Dublin got about 5mm.....

sryanbruen

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

And I'd add the survey results here to my 'Book of Evidence' - the micro within a micro climate!

Remember you got 22mm on the 19th (last week) when DA and Phoenix Park got 11mm - and the South Dublin got about 5mm.....

Yeah?

Schadenfreudia

sryanbruen wrote: »

Yeah?

You didn't??

sryanbruen

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

You didn't??

I did according to my rain gauge?

Schadenfreudia

sryanbruen wrote: »

I did according to my rain gauge?

That's what I was citing..!!

sryanbruen

smokie72 wrote: »

I can just about remember the summer of 1976. It was 3 months of hot sunny weather. First summer I can remember and I wish every summer was like that. 83 and 84 were decent summers too. 89 was a great summer, great memories from that year too. 1990 was a dry warm summer too and the world cup that year made it a memorable summer to be in Ireland.

1995 was a classic summer and I would put it up there with 1976. I think the best thing about 1995 was the amount of clear sunny days and low humidity which made it easy to sleep at night. 76 and 95 were both years the grass turned brown by August. 2003 and 2006 were hot summers as well although we had to wait until 2013 to have a good summer to remember after all those wet or average summers of 07-12. 2014 was a good summer overall except for August. Although I fear 2015 by the law of averages in this country will be average or bad summer. I hope I'm wrong.

No you weren't wrong about 2015!

sryanbruen

Interesting pattern is that years that start on a Sunday end up having a very pleasant Summer! Three big examples.

1989
1995
2006

Go on and check out your calendars and see what I mean!

sryanbruen

Since records began {1986}, Grange's best Summers are

1. 2006
2. 1995
3. 2013 / 14 - 2013 was duller than normal in August and 2014 was wetter than normal in August. So both were equal!
4. 1989
5. 1990

2010 would come at 6. and was the only good Summer during the infamous period of Bad Summers everyone knows, 2007-12 though 2010 was an odd one out for me. June was an exceptionally pleasant month with endless sunshine (exceptions 6th-9th, 13th and 28th) and very warm. July was just awful though with plenty of rainfall, dull skies but still warm. August was wonderful. Though it was cool, August felt very warm at times with the sunshine. It was my third sunniest August on record after 1995 and 2003. It was my second sunniest June on record after 2006. So overall, 2010 was very sunny {despite a very dull July. Unlike 2015 where the Summer overall was duller than normal though only July was dull!}. The best Summer months meanwhile:

1. August 1995 - Nothing can beat it!
2. July 2006
3. July 1989
4. July 2013
5. June 2006

Out of all the above, only July 2013 was wetter than normal due to the BIG BANG at the end. August 1995, July 2006 & 1989 and June 2006 all had totals of less than 10mm. If my records went further back after reading all the information, I'm sure July 1955, June 1976 and August 1976 would top the last 3 months. By personal experience, however, due to my age, the best Summer was 2006! I remember going on a holiday in a mobile home at Donabate for 3 weeks during July 2006. Everyday was perfect! I didn't even have to worry about the weather.

sryanbruen

Clonmel1000 wrote: »

2014 was a brilliant summer? Really?

Yep except for August. 2014 is one of Grange's top 5 summers since it opened in 1986.

1. 2006 (At least August was drier than normal, unlike July in 1995)
2. 1995 (July was a bit of a let down)
3. 2013
4. 1989
5. 2014

saltsun

Clonmel1000 wrote: »

2014 was a brilliant summer? Really?

I think 2014 was the year there was quite a geographical divide in the Summer. If I have the correct year I know Summer in the West was a total disaster, while much better weather was enjoyed in the East.

sryanbruen

saltsun wrote: »

I think 2014 was the year there was quite a geographical divide in the Summer. If I have the correct year I know Summer in the West was a total disaster, while much better weather was enjoyed in the East.

Kinda. Valentia Observatory had its second sunniest June on record though in 2014 with over 260 hours of sunshine!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057291023&page=8 - talk about it here anyways. 2014 is one of the choices in the poll for the best Summer. I voted for 2006 though.

sryanbruen

Question I meant to ask in this, why isn't 1983 at least one of the choices in the poll?

saltsun

sryanbruen wrote: »

Kinda. Valentia Observatory had its second sunniest June on record though in 2014 with over 260 hours of sunshine!

- talk about it here anyways. 2014 is one of the choices in the poll for the best Summer. I voted for 2006 though.

I wouldn't be 100% sure of the exact year, but I do remember one Summer where it was cool and possibly wet/windy compared to the weather in the East. Whatever that year was would win no prizes. I work outdoors.

Had to edit out your url, I'm not allowed to post them apparently.

sryanbruen

saltsun wrote: »

I wouldn't be 100% sure of the exact year, but I do remember one Summer where it was cool and possibly wet/windy compared to the weather in the East. Whatever that year was would win no prizes. I work outdoors.

Had to edit out your url, I'm not allowed to post them apparently.

Yes because you're only new. When I first came on this last August, I couldn't post any attachments or links but now I can.

sryanbruen

saltsun wrote: »

I wouldn't be 100% sure of the exact year, but I do remember one Summer where it was cool and possibly wet/windy compared to the weather in the East. Whatever that year was would win no prizes. I work outdoors.

Had to edit out your url, I'm not allowed to post them apparently.

Well I'm looking through past summers here and I have a few possibilities

2015 - kinda... the east fared much better (like average sunshine compared to Knock Airport's dullest summer on record with only 291 hours of sunshine all summer long)

2014 - again kinda... the east fared much better in July than the west and the west fared much better in August (June was an uneven mix)

2013 - kinda again... the east fared much better in June (July and August were grand everywhere though despite August's dull nature)

2012 - no - everywhere was horrible

2011 - YES - June was very warm here at times in Grange compared to most of the country and it was a very sunny month for me. July was much the same (except duller but I received actually slightly above average sunshine!). August was awful though with the northwest faring better.

2010 - no - it was an alright summer (July was horrible everywhere but the east fared better at times during the month but not all month long)

2009 - no - very wet virtually everywhere

2008 - no - absolute ****

2007 - no - it was the opposite way round! the west fared better

2006 - July was kind of wet in parts of the west but no, it was largely equal pleasant

^ Does any of these ring a bell?

JCX BXC

In my recollection, us here in West Clare had the best weather and near the highest temperatures of the whole country in 2013.