COLD SPELL Jan 28th Onwards: Wintry Showers/Frosty, Some Snow Accumulations

NIMAN

On my commute to work this morning in the very north of the country it was +6C and no one single bit of snow left on the roads. Yes a bit windy but nothing of any note.

So the polar vortex brought 24hrs of a few cm's of snow and some high winds.

Honestly, why do us Irish and indeed the Brits, get so worked up over the weather. Others around the world would laugh at the hype we put on it. Compare what snow parts of the US are getting to what we had, yet you'd think the end of the world was coming here listening to yellow and orange alerts etc.

Even the title of this thread sounds so dangerous "Level 1 weather alert - be aware". Honestly folks!

Villain

NIMAN wrote: »

On my commute to work this morning in the very north of the country it was +6C and no one single bit of snow left on the roads. Yes a bit windy but nothing of any note.

So the polar vortex brought 24hrs of a few cm's of snow and some high winds.

Honestly, why do us Irish and indeed the Brits, get so worked up over the weather. Others around the world would laugh at the hype we put on it. Compare what snow parts of the US are getting to what we had, yet you'd think the end of the world was coming here listening to yellow and orange alerts etc.

Even the title of this thread sounds so dangerous "Level 1 weather alert - be aware". Honestly folks!

Well many roads were dangerous yesterday so the warning was correct, we have more kms of secondary roads than many countries larger than us. There was also a number of people without power, some overnight.

The US are prepared for events as they occur regularly but even there they had issues, I have relations that went into Boston centre yesterday and it took 3.5hrs usuall takes .5 hours.

Oh and good chance of plenty more snow next week

JCX BXC

Villain wrote: »

Oh and good chance of plenty more snow next week

That is, if your east of a line running from Listowel to Kinsale. If your west of that I'd advise that you pull out the rain jackets and put the snow shovels away.

Hopefully the forecast may change that the snow will be avalible further south west.

Villain

Carnacalla wrote: »

That is, if your east of a line running from Listowel to Kinsale. If your west of that I'd advise that you pull out the rain jackets and put the snow shovels away.

Hopefully the forecast may change that the snow will be avalible further south west.

Well you can't have ALL the fun

Rebelbrowser

Carnacalla wrote: »

That is, if your east of a line running from Listowel to Kinsale. If your west of that I'd advise that you pull out the rain jackets and put the snow shovels away.

Hopefully the forecast may change that the snow will be avalible further south west.

Aren't you in Clare? If so, and forgive my geography here, but aren't you east of a line...........

JCX BXC

Villain wrote: »

Well you can't have ALL the fun

You're right

(Pity we haven't got any isn't it)

If only this gulf stream went away for a few weeks....

NIMAN

Yeah I was driving on snow on secondary roads, but if you adjust your driving and take it easy, we rarely get weather that makes driving overly hard.

I feel that many Irish drivers panic when they see snow. Often you are in traffic jams with people driving far too slowly for the conditions.

Of course we had some people lose power, that happens. And of course you'll hear the odd story of someone getting stuck in a car or skidding off, but the VAST majority of people manage to survive and get on with their lives, irrespective of any coloured warnings.

Its only a few years ago that even we had extremely harsher conditions with the big freeze of 2010/11. Now they were difficult conditions and many times more dangerous than what we are having now, yet even 4yrs ago there wasn't the hype we are getting now about a few cm of snow.

JCX BXC

Rebelbrowser wrote: »

Aren't you in Clare? If so, and forgive my geography here, but aren't you east of a line...........

(Forgive the one worded response, my phone just spazed out)

Where I am is exactly north of the line, which is not where I want to be. M.T also mentioned South Clare as 2-5c, which I think is my location (Souuth Clare is not a recognised term)

So its a hit and miss, but with my luck it will be a miss.

munsterlegend

JanuarySnowstor wrote: »

Fab charts this morning
Can Monday Tuesday be believed
If yes snow for all of us with the southwest tipped for several inches

I'd be very sceptical as always for down here in the south west. while possible too many things can go wrong especially for an event still nearly 72-96 hours away.

Rebelbrowser

NIMAN wrote: »

On my commute to work this morning in the very north of the country it was +6C and no one single bit of snow left on the roads. Yes a bit windy but nothing of any note.

So the polar vortex brought 24hrs of a few cm's of snow and some high winds.

Honestly, why do us Irish and indeed the Brits, get so worked up over the weather. Others around the world would laugh at the hype we put on it. Compare what snow parts of the US are getting to what we had, yet you'd think the end of the world was coming here listening to yellow and orange alerts etc.

Even the title of this thread sounds so dangerous "Level 1 weather alert - be aware". Honestly folks!

Who said anything about the polar vortex? The polar vortex is a thing, it exists. Periodically it drops down to these latitudes but usually over Canada, Scandinavia etc. I only recall a lobe of the polar vortex being over Ireland once and that was in 2010.

Rebelbrowser

Carnacalla wrote: »

Where

,....from listowel to Kinsale! All of Clare is, most of Cork is, some of Kerry is and all of the remaining 29 counties are.

JCX BXC

Rebelbrowser wrote: »

,....from listowel to Kinsale! All of Clare is, most of Cork is, some of Kerry is and all of the remaining 29 counties are.

Sorry,see my answer above. My I got to type where before the browser on my phone posted it and force closed.

WheatenBriar

My aunty lived on the top of a mountain and was driving down a minor road worthy of a blue ski run well into her 80's in a 2wD car in sometimes very snowy conditions
You just need experience-if things are really hairy,just keep in 2nd gear,that will limit the speed at which you end up in the ditch

Reckless Abandonment

munsterlegend wrote: »

I'd be very sceptical as always for down here in the south west. while possible too many things can go wrong especially for an event still nearly 72-96 hours away.

We all should be cautious. As ever with snow in this country it can go all wrong at the last minute. Cold yes but I'll believe snow when I see it

WheatenBriar

Do you know what,the trend here is to push out an end to the northerly flow so anything can happen.

However,iirc in 1995 New Years eve after a few days of a much colder flow that this one,an Atlantic system barrelled slowly through with a period of settling snow in front turning to rain eventually in all areas except Ulster by the evening of jan 1st 1996.

munsterlegend

Reckless Abandonment wrote: »

We all should be cautious. As ever with snow in this country it can go all wrong at the last minute. Cold yes but I'll believe snow when I see it

i was expecting a lot more from the north westerly airflow for my location but we got virtually nothing snow wise. su campu or his alias explained it perfectly why it didn't materialise so would love to hear his views on early next week.

NIMAN

Rebelbrowser wrote: »

Who said anything about the polar vortex? The polar vortex is a thing, it exists. Periodically it drops down to these latitudes but usually over Canada, Scandinavia etc. I only recall a lobe of the polar vortex being over Ireland once and that was in 2010.

It was all over the media last week.

It came just after the previous 'weather bomb'.

No-one can argue that the weather isn't being overhyped these days, blown out of all proportions. Cos it is. Fact.

Larbre34

icesnowfrost wrote: »

Great forecast from MT on next week. Snow is coming

Famous last words around here. It will be below normal temps next week, but the mix has not verified, too much remains marginal and dryer or rainier outcomes are very possible

munsterlegend

Larbre34 wrote: »

Famous last words around here. It will be below normal temps next week, but the mix has not verified, too much remains marginal and dryer or rainier outcomes are very possible

i forgot about the meeting at 9pm!!. the snow fest didn't materialise in munster anyway which is no great surprise. we live in hope.

aisling86

Does he mean south or north of the line from Listowel to Kinsale will get snow Monday?
I hope he means's south or is cork missing out again??

Larbre34

munsterlegend wrote: »

i forgot about the meeting at 9pm!!. the snow fest didn't materialise in munster anyway which is no great surprise. we live in hope.

Ha me too! Snowed all evening in Dublin but the warm sector arrived by 9pm and washed it all away, clear this morning

munsterlegend

aisling86 wrote: »

Does he mean south or north of the line from Listowel to Kinsale will get snow Monday?
I hope he means's south or is cork missing out again??

east and northwards so north east is my understanding. of course all subject to change for better or for worse.

Rebelbrowser

munsterlegend wrote: »

i was expecting a lot more from the north westerly airflow for my location but we got virtually nothing snow wise. su campu or his alias explained it perfectly why it didn't materialise so would love to hear his views on early next week.

Largely agree and also agree that Su's knowledge is staggering - but I think I'm not being unfair if I say that Su thought that lack of precipitation might have been as big a problem as marginality last Wednesday / Thursday. He posted some very technical data showing why showers wouldn't make their way across the country but they certainly did. Just shows the data isn't always right.

munsterlegend

Rebelbrowser wrote: »

Largely agree and also agree that Su's knowledge is staggering - but I think I'm not being unfair if I say that Su thought that lack of precipitation might have been as big a problem as marginality last Wednesday / Thursday. He posted some very technical data showing why showers wouldn't make their way across the country but they certainly did. Just shows the data isn't always right.

i suppose shower activity can be harder to forecast. however temps and uppers probably much more accurate to forecast which is what I would be interested in hearing his opinions in due course. I note Su advised there had been changes leading up to the event which made it unfavourable for snow down here.

Schadenfreudia

Jerry Seinfeld wrote: »

2.8 now Mick, Comeraghs will be like the Alps

I passed them yesterday afternoon on the N25 heading east and that's exactly what I was thinking they looked like! Very spectacular.

Back at the ranch here I went to bed in a slushy wonderland and awoke to green fields.

It's clear, sunny, a biting breeze and the snow cover seems to have retreated to about 600-700 feet.

Current temp 2.8C.

Redsunset

NIMAN wrote: »

you'd think the end of the world was coming here listening to yellow and orange alerts etc.

Even the title of this thread sounds so dangerous "Level 1 weather alert - be aware". Honestly folks!

Just to pick out your point here.
Our national weather service issues these warnings on their site and other media sources to inform the general public about any condition that may affects their daily lives. This is all in the interest of heath and safety.
Of course you are probably aware of this.

Let's just review the definition again shall we.

STATUS YELLOW - Weather Alert - Be Aware

The concept behind YELLOW level weather alerts is to notify those who are at risk because of their location and/or activity, and to allow them to take preventative action. It is implicit that YELLOW level weather alerts are for weather conditions that do not pose an immediate threat to the general population, but only to those exposed to risk by nature of their location and/or activity.


It clearly states that the weather conditions expected do not pose an immediate threat to the general population, but only to those exposed to risk by nature of their location and/or activity.

So to say yourself that it sounds dangerous is a tad dramatic.

Of course let's not forget that lives can be injured or indeed lost with or without these warnings, so they are simply put in place as guidlines to give people more of a heads up when conditions are far from the norm.

Oneiric 3

WheatenBriar wrote: »

However,iirc in 1995 New Years eve after a few days of a much colder flow that this one,an Atlantic system barrelled slowly through with a period of settling snow in front turning to rain eventually in all areas except Ulster by the evening of jan 1st 1996.

I actually remember this, as I was heading out that night and recall snow (not very heavy) blowing around despite the fact temps at the 850 hPa level were only 0c are even a little above. This analysis chart for New Years Day 1996 at 00z shows the situation at the time (from Vedur)

Rebelbrowser

aisling86 wrote: »

Does he mean south or north of the line from Listowel to Kinsale will get snow Monday?
I hope he means's south or is cork missing out again??

Actually using the GFS 6z, you are one of the few places in the country that would see snow on Monday morning but still subject to huge change.

See

Snowmaker

A couple of videos from last night in the Wicklow Rockies - plenty of snow, whiteout conditions at times. Didn't bother going up as far as Sally Gap, I could have of course, if I wanted to.. some other eejits did, and plenty people up there in ill equipped vehicles. Was like a jeep's playground up there last night!

http://youtu.be/NeLDrPuFaSk

http://youtu.be/WB3OKbLV5aw <--- go to 0:50 & 1:50 for some motion :-)

JanuarySnowstor

The potential for snow in the southwest on Monday is significant
If it were to happen as modelled the likes of Kerry and Cork could see several cm of snow.
This deep cold that is setting in tomorrow is being underestimated a bit on here.
It looks a lot colder than anything we got all week