Autumn 2017 - General Discussion

Gonzo

a very wild night out there, just back from the cinema and the drive home was rough with a horizontal blizzard of rain all the way home, leaves all over the roads and footpaths and lots of surface water. The cinema car park in Ashbourne is partially flooded.

Rock Lesnar

Gonzo wrote: »

a very wild night out there, just back from the cinema and the drive home was rough with a horizontal blizzard of rain all the way home, leaves all over the roads and footpaths and lots of surface water. The cinema car park in Ashbourne is partially flooded.

Not that much wind down here but jesus did it rain, just about stopped now, big flood out in field beside us, could do with some drying over the next few days

Dr Crayfish

whether it was always this bad, it seems to be worse as I get older, or at least it's affecting me more, how bad it is! All these fordin holidays have me spoiled. Rotten.

Harry Palmr

Chilly enough now - a reminder of how summer (such as we had one since mid July) has now well and truly vamoosed

nagdefy

One thing i'm personally very thankful for is that we don't have to endure a few months with no daylight like some parts of the arctic.

At least when a rain belt passes through, even in November/December there are generally afew hours of brightness either side of it.

I rely a lot on memory with regard to weather as it's just the way i am. Personally i don't think it's wetter or there are more storms. February 1988 and 1990 were as windy as Feb 2014 for me etc.

Summers always came in cycles. 1982-84 good, 1985-1988 poor, 1989 and 1990 good...very broadly speaking in terms of dry weather and warmth. The worst spell of summers for me has been 2007 to 2012, bar 2010. 2013 excellent, 2014 good, cooler August. 2015 poor. This summer seems just dead average up to August but poorer since then.

OldRio

Dreadful afternoon and evening in Leitrim. Very heavy rain.
On a general note regarding our lack of sunlight does anybody else take vitamin D supplements. I know it's recommended in the Scandanvian countries.

Danno

Been reading over the past few pages on here and it's pity to see insults taking place. I can understand the frustrations on both sides, the statistics are the facts (unless ME have been cooking data?) and the personal experiences are a decent account of local conditions.

One of the reasons I gather data is to fill in what was a 50-mile wide hole in the data-sheet for this part of the country. Birr to Kilkenny at the time had no station in-between at an altitude where most of us live. Today that hole is bigger with Gurteen replacing Birr and Carlow replacing Kilkenny. So, I set up my own station and it's very interesting to contrast and compare with other stations. I have always had a keen interest in the weather so it was natural that I set up one.

If I was to offer my opinions, and that they are - only opinions, I would say that overall in these parts (South Laois):

* Rainfall is less frequent but is heavier when it does arrive.

* Wind is more common as in there is less calm or near calm days and nights also. However there is no notable increase in strong gusts or anything like that.

* Temperatures by night are milder, however not much change by day.

* Fog seems to be less prevelant

With regards to patterns - it seems that we get locked into more spells of weather than the variable stuff of years gone by. Maybe this is just a symptom of better forecasts?

nagdefy

I feel a lot of why there is some tension on this thread is due to the fact that we're at mid September. The summer months are over and there's no sign of an Indian Summer. For most of us the summer was reasonable until the start of August and went downhill. So there's a seasonal anti-climatic (no pun intended) feeling that we didn't really get any long stretch of warm weather together.. e.g. one week of fine, sunny weather in the mid 20Cs.

Hopefully things will settle down a little... regarding personal comment.

Gaoth Laidir

Danno wrote: »

Been reading over the past few pages on here and it's pity to see insults taking place. I can understand the frustrations on both sides, the statistics are the facts (unless ME have been cooking data?) and the personal experiences are a decent account of local conditions.

One of the reasons I gather data is to fill in what was a 50-mile wide hole in the data-sheet for this part of the country. Birr to Kilkenny at the time had no station in-between at an altitude where most of us live. Today that hole is bigger with Gurteen replacing Birr and Carlow replacing Kilkenny. So, I set up my own station and it's very interesting to contrast and compare with other stations. I have always had a keen interest in the weather so it was natural that I set up one.

If I was to offer my opinions, and that they are - only opinions, I would say that overall in these parts (South Laois):

* Rainfall is less frequent but is heavier when it does arrive.

* Wind is more common as in there is less calm or near calm days and nights also. However there is no notable increase in strong gusts or anything like that.

* Temperatures by night are milder, however not much change by day.

* Fog seems to be less prevelant

With regards to patterns - it seems that we get locked into more spells of weather than the variable stuff of years gone by. Maybe this is just a symptom of better forecasts?

Out of interest, what do your data say? Do they concur? It's a pity Acequion didn't want to give his/her opinion yesterday.

acequion

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

Out of interest, what do your data say? Do they concur? It's a pity Acequion didn't want to give his/her opinion yesterday.

Are you trying to stir things up again? I gave my opinion. More than once. And I'd prefer to say no more as other posters don't like it when things descend into bickering.

Obviously we can't argue with statistics, but I'm glad to see other posters posting on the validity of personal accounts, local trends, patterns and other factors which don't always concur with the exact statistic. I really think we should leave it at that.

Gaoth Laidir

acequion wrote: »

Are you trying to stir things up again? I gave my opinion. More than once. And I'd prefer to say no more as other posters don't like it when things descend into bickering.

Obviously we can't argue with statistics, but I'm glad to see other posters posting on the validity of personal accounts, local trends, patterns and other factors which don't always concur with the exact statistic. I really think we should leave it at that.

Not trying to stir anything up. You made a general statement that summers are getting wetter, etc. because your memory is as good as hard data. I merely asked you to show us where that's true in the stats and you threw your toys put of the pram and started personally insulting several people. The invitation still stands to discuss...sorry, debate...it properly if you feel you have a point.

acequion

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

Not trying to stir anything up. You made a general statement that summers are getting wetter, etc. because your memory is as good as hard data. I merely asked you to show us where that's true in the stats and you threw your toys put of the pram and started personally insulting several people. The invitation still stands to discuss...sorry, debate...it properly if you feel you have a point.

Yes you are trying to stir things up. "throw toys out of a pram" . That's an insult, that's provocative and that is why I don't want to engage with you and a number of others. It is quite amusing that you accuse me of throwing insults when you're well able to throw them yourself. Did you not write off an entire post of mine as "pathetic?" Granted I threw it right back at you but if you can dish it out you can take it back,no? It's perfectly obvious that some of you are more interested in attacking and belittling rather than discussing.

Also do not forgot that you flat out refused to answer my perfectly reasonable questions.

As for your beloved stats,I will post evidence,not necessarily stats, to support my claims when I get time. If that doesn't suit you,fine! And I will post because I find it interesting and because there is indeed evidence that Ireland's climate is changing for the worse. If you guys want to tear it to shreds, be my guests!

In any case this is the last time I will reply directly to any of you and a few others posters' provocative remarks.

Gaoth Laidir

acequion wrote: »

Yes you are trying to stir things up. "throw toys out of a pram" . That's an insult, that's provocative and that is why I don't want to engage with you and a number of others. It is quite amusing that you accuse me of throwing insults when you're well able to throw them yourself. Did you not write off an entire post of mine as "pathetic?" Granted I threw it right back at you but if you can dish it out you can take it back,no? It's perfectly obvious that some of you are more interested in attacking and belittling rather than discussing.

Also do not forgot that you flat out refused to answer my perfectly reasonable questions.

As for your beloved stats,I will post evidence,not necessarily stats, to support my claims when I get time. If that doesn't suit you,fine! And I will post because I find it interesting and because there is indeed evidence that Ireland's climate is changing for the worse. If you guys want to tear it to shreds, be my guests!

In any case this is the last time I will reply directly to any of you and a few others posters' provocative remarks.

Your questions were only a handy sidestep response to mine. Reply to mine and then I'll reply to yours. Simple enough.

JCX BXC

Rather than this "he, you, she, they" said nonsense, we talk about what were talking about?

It's quite clear that there's been some slight trend of wetter days in the southwest, but it really doesn't appear to be major or significant. Certainly in my lifetime there's been no noticeable change in weather. Some summer's are terrible, some are great, many are between that. Acequion, I think it's reasonable that many of us are not taking a recollection from one source. I don't think that your memory is able to contradict statistics, it would really have to be a vast amount of opinions to become a reasonable recollection. This is the same with all aspects of life.

While I'd agree that statistics from limited amounts of stations won't reflect local conditions, statistics are facts, and unless localised areas of the country have experienced massive changes in the weather (which I would personally doubt) I again, cannot personally accept the theory of the weather is much worse in Ireland now than it was 30-40 years ago.

Nowadays with increased communication services, poor events of weather are often highlighted alot more than they would have been in a pre-social media phase, when it was mainly word of mouth of newspapers where these opinions or statistics were broadcast. Hence, why I think it appears that many people feel the weather in the last few years has changed massively, when realistically the changes were small.

MJohnston

JCX BXC wrote: »

It's quite clear that there's been some slight trend of wetter days in the southwest, but it really doesn't appear to be major or significant. Certainly in my lifetime there's been no noticeable change in weather.

I think what I would say is that the type of weather we've been getting hasn't changed in a long, long time (ie. we aren't getting really extreme records of heat or cold or completely unexpected types of weather events), but that the frequency of how often we're getting things is changing, and it's changing in different parts of the island in very different ways.

This makes sense when you look at how the climate of Ireland is generated and driven.

JCX BXC

Possibly, however I think we do need more data for this. For example last winter was very benign, only one notable storm and we only got 4 named storm iirc.

Oneiric 3

No. of consecutive dry days (less than 1.0mm) at Valentia, Co. Kerry during the summer season: JJA. I plotted the graph myself as the ones generated by the ECA&D give too broad an axis to give a clear perspective.

Danno

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

Out of interest, what do your data say? Do they concur?

My data does not have enough depth yet (9 years) to give a firm enough verdict. While not wishing my shortening years away, I do look forward to the day I have a climate record! :P

km79

Gorgeous evening in east Galway

Oneiric 3

km79 wrote: »

Gorgeous evening in east Galway

Skies look tornadic here. Wouldn't surprise me if there was clap of thunder soon.

Clonmel1000

I actually think the last few weeks have changed a lot of people's perceptions of summer 2017. The rain the cold the wind the thunder the lightning around here today has been unreal. The last spell of good weather was June really.

km79

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

km79 wrote: »

Gorgeous evening in east Galway

Skies look tornadic here. Wouldn't surprise me if there was clap of thunder soon.

Yes it's turning now

Gonzo

despite the cold, rain and the showers, there has been a fair bit of sun here over the past number of days.

Lucreto

I love this time of year. Had a pleasant walk to the train station this evening. The sun setting while it is shining, falling leaves and a nice chill in the air.

Only a cold frosty day can beat it.

Clonmel1000

Lucreto wrote: »

I love this time of year. Had a pleasant walk to the train station this evening. The sun setting while it is shining, falling leaves and a nice chill in the air.

Only a cold frosty day can beat it.

The sun setting? Where are you? Sunset I'd imagine is a lot later than now.

Lucreto

Clonmel1000 wrote: »

The sun setting? Where are you? Sunset I'd imagine is a lot later than now.

A mean the shorter days and the long shadows

Rock Lesnar

Completely dry here today with plenty of sunshine, just what i needed after yesterdays rain

George Sunsnow

Rock Lesnar wrote: »

Completely dry here today with plenty of sunshine, just what i needed after yesterdays rain

Total opposite here near Arklow
Floods in the showers
Dark in the afternoon and 9c

I'll have to borrow from clonmels war chest of words to describe it
Simply vile

Heating not on yet but 2 open fires going

sryanbruen

George Sunsnow wrote: »

Rock Lesnar wrote: »

Completely dry here today with plenty of sunshine, just what i needed after yesterdays rain

Total opposite here near Arklow
Floods in the showers
Dark in the afternoon and 9c

I'll have to borrow from clonmels war chest of words to describe it
Simply vile

Heating not on yet but 2 open fires going

Lovely day here with a few showers. No complaints 😂

Gonzo

fire lighting here too, probably will have fires lighting till early May.