Winter 20/21 - General Discussion

Oneiric 3

Deleted User wrote: »

What you are looking for is pretty exceptional in this country. The alternative to what we have at the moment is usually Atlantic muck rather than what you describe.
.

This is Atlantic muck.

I really don't care about what the models did or did not show: only what I experience first hand, and this weather is low grade pulp. I don't begrudge you or anyone else enjoying it, but don't try to drag the rest of us down with you.

Oneiric 3

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

This is Atlantic muck.

I really don't care about what the models did or did not show: only what I experience first hand, and this weather is low grade pulp. I don't begrudge you or anyone else enjoying it, but don't try to drag the rest of us down with you.

Each to their own I suppose! I hope the weather Gods deliver what you want at some point.

It must be hugely frustrating for you to be a weather watcher in Ireland, given your criteria for weather you enjoy.

I have no idea where I am dragging you and the rest down to, for what it's worth.

Oneiric 3

Deleted User wrote: »

Each to their own I suppose! I hope the weather Gods deliver what you want at some point.

It must be hugely frustrating for you to be a weather watcher in Ireland, given your criteria for weather you enjoy.

I have no idea where I am dragging you and the rest down to, for what it's worth.

You mentioned crisp and clear. Very little clear weather here this month. Plenty of cold rain showers though, with a couple warm drizzle days thrown in to keep the excitement from getting too singular.

Oneiric 3

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

You mentioned crisp and clear. Very little clear weather here this month. Plenty of cold rain showers though, with a couple warm drizzle days thrown in to keep the excitement from getting too singular.

You'll have to move to Cork.

Nqp15hhu

Donegal Storm wrote: »

Would be interesting to know the science behind that. Just back from a walk and while there's still dry powder snow locally despite three days of direct sunlight, in the park the sun has made short work of anything not in the shade

Sorry I only seen your post now. I can only make assumptions about why snow melts, in cold temperatures.

I know it’s all primarily down to the topography of the land and the depth of the snow.

As I said earlier, there’s a few factors:

- West facing land... snow melts much quicker because the sun is facing the land at the warmest part of the day.
- Trees generally provide shelter for snow.
- Estates: houses block solar rays from reaching footpaths to a greater extent.

Where I live, at sea level snow is lying to a great extent. The snow melt is occurring between 100 feet and 500 feet, on west facing hills. Not sure why, probably something to do with wind or concentration of solar rays.

Nqp15hhu

Anyway, our snow now that is left has froze continuously now each night (and perhaps day in the shade) increasing its density and the amount of energy required to melt it. It also freezes the surface beneath it.

So that could potentially hang around for a day or so in rain, were-as a dusting that has just fell would melt immediately in rain.

Donegal Storm

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

You mentioned crisp and clear. Very little clear weather here this month. Plenty of cold rain showers though, with a couple warm drizzle days thrown in to keep the excitement from getting too singular.

Come up to Donegal for a spin, no Atlantic slop here these past few days

JCX BXC

Cold one tonight, already -0.8°c here in West Clare, rare to have such low temps here this early in the night. Normally when it does occur, it means the frost will be gone before morning. Maybe not this time!

An Ri rua

Went out at dusk to feed the cats and the galvanise shed was making such a racket! Contracting like it would on a April frosty night after great sunshine. Remarkable cooling down and not from warm temperatures either!

Near Tullamore. Brrrr! <<Yes, that's a joke....

Cluedo Monopoly

An Ri rua wrote: »

Went out at dusk to feed the cats and the galvanise shed was making such a racket! Contracting like it would on a April frosty night after great sunshine. Remarkable cooling down and not from warm temperatures either!

Near Tullamore. Brrrr!

Birr?

pad199207

Clear and frosty in Kildare now at -1.7°c

nacho libre

This winter has been frustrating a lot of the time ,but it has delivered some nice cold nights and days. I love the reddish pinky colour the sky takes on in the evening during cold weather. Also nothing beats the sound of powdery snow crunching under foot. Hopefully we will all get more snow over the next month.

JCX BXC

Cold one tonight! Not often you'll see it this cold at ~9pm.

DellyBelly

They put up Christmas eve night up on the rte weather forecast tonight.. Am I sure I saw that

SlipperyPeople

yep saw it aswell. lol.

Oneiric 3

Donegal Storm wrote: »

Come up to Donegal for a spin, no Atlantic slop here these past few days

Thanks for the suggestion, but given that you, up until I think about yesterday, claimed that the winter up there was every bit as grim as it has been down here, I think I'll give it a pass.

Gaoth Laidir

Nqp15hhu wrote: »

Sorry I only seen your post now. I can only make assumptions about why snow melts, in cold temperatures.

I know it’s all primarily down to the topography of the land and the depth of the snow.

As I said earlier, there’s a few factors:

- West facing land... snow melts much quicker because the sun is facing the land at the warmest part of the day.
- Trees generally provide shelter for snow.
- Estates: houses block solar rays from reaching footpaths to a greater extent.

Where I live, at sea level snow is lying to a great extent. The snow melt is occurring between 100 feet and 500 feet, on west facing hills. Not sure why, probably something to do with wind or concentration of solar rays.

Snow doesn't absorb the sun's radiation, reflecting around 95% of it (the newer the snow, the higher this albedo is). Of the tiny fraction of the shortwave radiation absorbed, some of it does cause sublimation of the snow, which will slowly reduce its depth over time without actually melting it.

It's actually the action of the sun's rays on the surface under the snow that's the primary mechanism driving melting. The darker the surface the more shortwave radiation it absorbs and converts to longwave radiation, which warms the surface and hence starts melting. As more surface becomes exposed the process accelerates, also now warming the air, which then helps melt the snow. It only takes one small exposed surface area to be exposed for this all to kick off, such as a footprint.

As someone said before, if the snow layer is thick enough then the incoming shortwave radiation is blocked from reaching the ground, but also the snow itself insulates the top of the layer from the soil's inherent heat. The wetness of the snow affects this insulation effect, drier snow being more of an insulator due to its high air content. Snow will melt more quickly on a solid surface like concrete than on grass, as the air between the blades of grass acts as that insulator.

In the 2018 BFTE, the sublimation effect was especially evident in reducing the snow depths. Also, a snow layer will compact under its own weight over time, expelling air and accelerating the whole process above.

JCX BXC

Got down to -2.4°c just before 11pm, like clockwork it's since increased back up to -1.4°c currently.

West Clare.

JCX BXC

JCX BXC wrote: »

Got down to -2.4°c just before 11pm, like clockwork it's since increased back up to -1.4°c currently.

West Clare.

Colder than Moscow at the moment btw and most of eastern Europe
The world's gone crazy

Oneiric 3

AuntySnow wrote: »

Colder than Moscow at the moment btw and most of eastern Europe
The world's gone crazy

You may have a little way to go to yet though to surpass Tomsk:

Met.ie showing 0 for Cork, with my car showing -5. Probably somewhere in between, but either way feels like the coldest morning of the winter so far here in the city. Pink sky probably indicating the prospect of this spell breaking down tonight/tomorrow.

Artane2002

it's a beautiful morning in Dublin 5, extremely frosty and icy with brilliant sunshine and pink skies!

Comhrá

Bedroom window this morning. Haven't seen these patterns for years. It was -3.1c

Cluedo Monopoly

Don't forget to feed the birds folks.

Oneiric 3

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

You may have a little way to go to yet though to surpass Tomsk:

Thats probably closer to get to if you fly WEST via Alaska:D

Oneiric 3

AuntySnow wrote: »

Thats probably closer to get to if you fly WEST via Alaska:D

Some useless info but it is interesting to note that the most westerly point of Ireland is closer the far east coast of mainland Canada than it is to Moscow, not by much, but still.

Oneiric 3

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

Some useless info but it is interesting to note that the most westerly point of Ireland is closer the far east coast of mainland Canada than it is to Moscow, not by much, but still.

And according to a sign at the departure area in Boston Logan,Shannon is closer than Los Angeles (while we're at it )

Oneiric 3

The size of the 26 compared to eastern Canada:

Slashermcguirk

Having breakfast looking out at the snow again in the garden in D5. Could get used to this but will be gone by later. Great while it lasted

sryanbruen

sryanbruen wrote: »

Cork Airport with 62.1 hrs this January to now is the sunniest station in the UK & Ireland and it's around 107% of its January sunshine average. You have done well indeed.

Most others have had below average sunshine this January to now.

86.3 hrs now... the third sunniest January on record at Cork Airport. January 2011 had 87.5 hrs so will likely become the 2nd sunniest but not likely to beat the sunniest - which was January 2010 with 118.4 hrs.

The January 2010 total also happens to be the national record for January, what a phenomenal January 2010 was and to have 2 back to back very sunny Januaries.

Casement in comparison has had 35.9 hrs to 24th.