Cold Spell - Feb 7th to 13th 2021 - Chat

Supercell

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

Regarding why it's not colder when the 850-hPa level is so cold: wind, cloud and warmer mid-levels.

The strong easterly wind has brought warmer marine air inland and its turbulence has also prevented a cold surface layer from forming during the night.
The almost overcast cloud cover also meant that this surface cooling wouldn't have occurred anyway.
The warm inversion from around 700-600 hPa also radiated some heat back to earth compared to if that level had been its typical 10-15 degrees colder.

Add to that the much warmer soil temperatures we still have since last week's mild weather and everything together means we don't get those low temperatures.

Fantastic post GL, honestly hadn't joined all the dots like this myself, thank you for a great explanation.

redsteveireland

Chalkitdown147 wrote: »

Have to say, I really can't believe how crazy people are becoming because of the lack of the white gold, it's actually comical at this stage!! 2018 was so much fun in the lead up, yes the snow isn't on a par (it never ever was forecast to be) but it's an unusual weather event that most of us in here are interested in. Sorry rant over, just giving me a headache with all the constant moaning

I have seen some moaning, hardly amounts to people going crazy.

Very dark here with a shower of Graupel with some snow flakes mixed in. The met Eireann radar picking up nothing.

Acosta

There's a big blob of weather stretching from the north west of France to out passed Cornwall moving towards the south west coast. Just rain? It could miss the coast anyway

Oneiric 3

Chalkitdown147 wrote: »

Where you based Oneiric??

East Galway. Well away from the Irish Sea 'marine layer'.

Little snowy old me

Mother of God that windchill is something else. Just back from my afternoon ramble and the tears are streaming down my cheeks. Savage. But oh so refreshing. That biting cold dry wind is lovely. I'd take it any day over mild muck. Bracing ourselves for a very cold night here in Donegal.

Heating on full blast and about to tuck into a sausage sandwich. Things aren't to bad I guess but if only we had some snow....

White Clover

Little snowy old me wrote: »

Mother of God that windchill is something else. Just back from my afternoon ramble and the tears are streaming down my cheeks. Savage. But oh so refreshing. That biting cold dry wind is lovely. I'd take it any day over mild muck. Bracing ourselves for a very cold night here in Donegal.

Heating on full blast and about to tuck into a sausage sandwich. Things aren't to bad I guess but if only we had some snow....

Hard to bate a sausage sandwich on a cold day

Nqp15hhu

Spitting snow here. No graupel.

Chalkitdown147

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

East Galway. Well away from the Irish Sea 'marine layer'.

The cold (if it was available) was always going to struggle to get the far west I presume

nacho libre

Supercell wrote: »

Fantastic post GL, honestly hadn't joined all the dots like this myself, thank you for a great explanation.

I am a bit puzzled about the strong breeze part bringing in a warmer marine layer, in past easterlies the temperatures still managed to fall away at night despite a strong breeze. Although maybe the difference then was ground temperatures were much lower and the skies were clearer overall

gerrybhoy

Weathers balmy

Moved the car into the garden,bit of sun peeping through,went into the back to put rubbish into the bin and quite a few flakes blowing

nacho libre

Little snowy old me wrote: »

Mother of God that windchill is something else. Just back from my afternoon ramble and the tears are streaming down my cheeks. Savage. But oh so refreshing. That biting cold dry wind is lovely. I'd take it any day over mild muck. Bracing ourselves for a very cold night here in Donegal.

.

If you are feeling a bit sleepy , it's the perfect weather to wake you up sharpish.
The land has really dried out over the last couple of days. If we had a week of this all the sogginess would be gone. It's a pity we are going to have so much cold rain over the weekend to undo the drying.

Thelonious Monk

tomcosgrave wrote: »

Seems very clear from a number of D.13 heads including myself that Dublin 13 is marginal for this event. All I have seen is graupel since the event started.

Same in Dublin 5, not one flake, just graupel, if that's even a real word.
Certainly an early contender for the Oxford English word of the year so far.

Fics

Another Graupel shower here on the meath coast.

On Sunday it was exciting, kind of like "ohh it's starting" but now on Tuesday afternoon it's like "ohh it's still graupel"

Bring on some high pressure clear blue skys maybe a bit of frost, all fingers and toes crossed for Thursday, just want a nice white layer not even being greedy 1cm would do me.

Artane2002

yet another snow shower/flurry in Dublin 5, the snow quality with this shower is better than the previous ones.

Thelonious Monk

Artane2002 wrote: »

yet another snow shower/flurry in Dublin 5, the snow quality with this shower is better than the previous ones.

Nothing in my part of D5, been dry for ages now, and only the dusty stuff on and off earlier. Must be that localised.

Dazler97

I've medium confidence for snow here on Thursday (in Carrick on Shannon) I hope we get at least 10cm even if it doesn't last long but going by models the milder air will be beaten by the colder air and more less the same set up for next week

bosco12345

Dazler97 wrote: »

I've medium confidence for snow here on Thursday (in Carrick on Shannon) I hope we get at least 10cm even if it doesn't last long but going by models the milder air will be beaten by the colder air and more less the same set up for next week

Think your hopes of 10cm might be too ambitious as Met Eireann are forecasting a max of 5cm, hope they're wrong tho

Kermit.de.frog

More development now further back in the Irish sea that could be of interest for Dublin in the next couple of hours. I'm liking the wind trajectory now (ENE) - nice sea track. Some of us will get at least a dusting tonight.

highdef

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

More development now further back in the Irish sea that could be of interest for Dublin in the next couple of hours. I'm liking the wind trajectory now (ENE) - nice sea track. Some of us will get at least a dusting tonight.

I'm keeping a VERY close eye on that

ongarboy

Just back from a walk west of Blanchardstown. Had about two or three flurries in the last hour. One interesting thing I noticed passing houses, is that one front garden could still be covered with unmelted snow and the next door neighbour's garden would be completely melted even though both houses would be facing the same direction and exposure to the elements. It's like there are different micro climates even within feet of each other!

dm09

Finally graduated from Graupel to proper Snow flakes in South Down

Mundo7976

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLFAQ82jfdl/?igshid=1fxjx0j1icg0c

Cw85

Big black clouds just passed over Carlow Town, ya think anything fell from them though:(

Super-Rush

I think people need to remember that we're smack bang in the middle of nowcast territory. I've had plenty of graupel/fine snow last night and for much of today with nothing showing on radar.

Literally anywhere could see some action this week, and tbh for me it's the excitement and anticipation that's the best. If it doesn't happen, then we move on. The food will stillll be eaten and the fuel burnt no matter the outcome.

In saying that, the wind had died, it's gotten significantly colder, but there has been a decent thaw which has me very confused.

Mt Leinster hills (Carlow)

looksee

North Waterford - graupel all day, just about settling but not amounting to much, bitterly cold.

Oneiric 3

Chalkitdown147 wrote: »

The cold (if it was available) was always going to struggle to get the far west I presume

Dosen't really work that cleanly. A typical cool winter westerly for example, where uppers tend to be a bit lower over the west, will still bring cooler temps to the east of the country due the relatively long land track and less ocean influence.

Mr Velo

Chalkitdown147 wrote: »

The cold (if it was available) was always going to struggle to get the far west I presume

The snow maybe, but jaysus the wind would cut you it's that cold

Grogu1983

Cw85 wrote: »

Big black clouds just passed over Carlow Town, ya think anything fell from them though:(

I'm in Tinahely wicklow near carlow watching them go past not even a snizzle

Gonzo

No graupel here at Dunshaughlin since last night. There are still small amounts of ice in the ground from last night and this has now turned from melting ice/slush into pure ice.

I'm not holding my breath for any showers here tonight at my location but whatever falls out of the sky tonight is likely to stick much better than it did last night. If the frost is severe tonight and temperatures low enough it should help any potential snowfall that occurs on Thursday or Friday.

Humberto Salazar

Refreshing wind, nice dry day. Was out walking in my t shirt earlier. Bit nippy at first but once the blood gets moving perfect. I'm not really looking forward to a messy few hours of slush on Thursday, I've made my peace with it. We look forward.