Winter 2021/2022 - General Discussion

just a quick update from Sweden

the cold weather is returning here from Monday onwards with temperatures forecast to be well below freezing for at least a week even in the south with heavy snow due in many areas so hopefully it helps increase Ireland's chances of some snow by the first weekend in Feb

this is turning into my favourite winter in a while, last Tue or Wed I was doing some running in the local park, tshirt and shorts and it was fantastic and its great cycling weather too.

A new named storm from the met office, be prepared for Eastern Scotland

Status Yellow - Wind warning for Donegal

Met Éireann Weather Warning

Southwest to west winds will reach mean speeds of 50 to 65 km/h with gusts of up to 100 km/h, higher in coastal areas and on high ground.

Valid: 03:00 Saturday 29/01/2022 to 09:00 Saturday 29/01/2022

Yellow - Wind Warning for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Tyrone, Derry

Another wind warning for Sunday for Derry,Antrim and Down.

I predict a `gentle breeze`

getting tired of how many times weather predictions come to naught..

Woke to wind so didn't do parkrun as thought it was lashing. When awoke at 10am we haven't had a drop of rain. Just strong winds. Saving more and more for February. At this rate we'll see 200mm in February. 50mm in January is very low for the Northwest though Sunday and Monday might add 20mm to that.

It's beginning to feel like all bets are off with our weather. When you can get a winter this mild but also dry then something unusual is going on.

Not that unusual, 2016-17 and 2018-19 were also mild and dry winters. 2018-19 was Ireland's mildest winter on record too. Both of them coincidentally featured quite dry Januaries also.

Or perhaps the unusual is becoming the usual. Our winters seem to be getting more and more blander.

Nothing to look forward to our winters anymore. Though every winter i keep thinking maybe next year .Winters were always my main weather interest since I was a kid but nowadays they are just so uninteresting.

That frequency of mild, dry bland winters in a short timeframe is notable to be fair but this winter on its own ain't that noteworthy or unique. Before 2016-17, when was the last very mild and dry winter? 1988-89? 1991-92? There were a couple of mild and relatively dry winters in the 2000s but not in the same category as those mentioned or the gruesome duo of 74-75 and 75-76.

Looking at the national mean as of January 28th, this winter stands as the joint third mildest since 2010 behind 2018-19 and 2011-12. Though all winters before this one have February considered into their calculation and February 2019 was exceptionally mild, it is unlikely that February 2022 will be on the same level of mild but not impossible and can't ever doubt it in these times.

2018-19 7.1C

2011-12 6.5C

2021-22 6.3C

2016-17 6.3C

2015-16 6.3C

2019-20 5.9C

2013-14 5.9C

2012-13 5.1C

2020-21 5.0C

2014-15 5.0C

2017-18 4.9C

2010-11 3.3C

2009-10 2.5C

I would probably say this autumn/winter has been the most bland period of weather since autumn/winter 2011-12 which was also a very mild autumn and winter (as shown above) with the infamous February 2012 Europe cold wave that avoided Ireland included.

Reanalysis shows just how stubborn the high pressure has been since June with Ireland having the highest positive pressure difference. Not necessarily indicative of where the high pressure has been placed as this is relative to average but it's a stubborn fella this high pressure!