Summer 2022 - General Discussion

appledrop · 19-06-2022 4:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223066#Comment_119223066

I agree, I actually think a type of SAD could possible be a thing in Ireland in summer.

People talk about it in winter due to short days but in winter you don't expect much and if it's dry it's a bonus.

However every year we build ourselves up that we are going to get a nice summer(I know its our own fault) but then so many times it doesn't deliver.

Thankfully people can finally get abroad this year to catch up on some sunshine, but I do think our bad summers are not good for people's mental health.

You only have to look at how packed beaches etc get if we do have good day, everyone panics to get to beach because we know it won't last.

OldRio · 19-06-2022 4:58pm

Well we don't need rain in this particular location but I understand other areas do.

Just back from a drive from South Leitrim to Ballymahon to see family.

13 degrees when we left. 18 degrees in Ballymahon. 45minute drive. Some difference.

mr.stonewall · 19-06-2022 4:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223515#Comment_119223515

The drought of 2018 caused a lot of harm in agriculture. Really stunted crops of grain and grass growth was non existent at the time we should be hitting peak growth rates. Grass is the key driver of over 80% of agriculture in Ireland. 2018 and the lack of rain, left many farmers with a serious debt, due to the extra cost of grain to be fed to livestock. Imagine that happening, with the current geopolitical situation. Cost of food would only go up further. The weather here influences so much in what we do in agriculture.

SMDs are very high a high portion of the south and east at the moment. River levels are low. Grass growth is non existent on many farms so much that feed that has already been conserved for winter is being fed back to animals. It's what we call a green drought, very little growth and grass stays green. This shows the seriousness of the situation

appledrop · 19-06-2022 5:05pm

Obviously I'm a Dub and haven't a clue about farming but how come farmers all over Europe cope with months without rain?

mr.stonewall · 19-06-2022 5:13pm

Our climate is a temperate climate with high consistent rainfall. This is the fuel to grow crops and grass. Lack of rainfall leads to crops running on the reserve in the soil. SMD is how much is left in that.

Other countries run high cost irrigation systems. They do this as they are going to get this drought every year. If we had irrigation it would lie idle for 99.99% of the time. Just would not pay to have it

appledrop · 19-06-2022 5:19pm

I understand that Mr. Stonewall but yet when I go on holiday I get a lot of fresh produce for next to nothing compared to what you pay in Ireland so something is not adding up, if they have to pay for very expensive irrigation systems.

If we have all this 'free' rain and 'free' grass in a normal year(this year obviously isnt)why are we paying more in Ireland?

mcburns07 · 19-06-2022 5:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223723#Comment_119223723

What fresh produce costs a lot in Ireland? Most of our fruit is imported. Things that are grown here like potatoes and carrots couldn't be considered expensive at all.

pauldry · 19-06-2022 5:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223145#Comment_119223145

But all June has been cool so it can't GET cool

road_high · 19-06-2022 5:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223655#Comment_119223655

I was up that way last week- I’d say once I got past Kilbeggan and down into Offaly laois the lack of moisture becomes more noticeable and worse as you head south east. Hills tend to look more brown and growth under pressure. Was battling very heavy showers driving as far as Mullingar. Then nothing

road_high · 19-06-2022 5:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223700#Comment_119223700

They’re getting more common- I saw two going in Carlow yesterday. Presumably spuds or carrots.

Our own gym had the irrigators going full belt in the football pitch this morning;)

Gonzo · 19-06-2022 5:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223515#Comment_119223515

Southern Spain can often go months without any rain and the ground is brown for much of the year, but once mid autumn arrives that brown turns green very quickly even there and many parts are lush green during the winter because it does rain there quite a bit during the late autumn, winter and early Spring. I still find it bizzare people wishing for rain in Ireland when it rains regularly throughout the year compared to most other countries. May was poor enough here and rainfall was about normal for the time of year.

snowstorm445 · 19-06-2022 5:42pm

Temperatures got up to the mid thirties here in Belgium the last two days, very uncomfortably hot. It really did make it clear to me that location is everything in a heatwave. Even though Ireland can get very humid in warm weather you're never far from a nice sea breeze to cool you down. Very different if you're in a built-up densely populated inland setting, it's pretty chronic.

Never mind the fact that Ireland is a fairly lightly populated country with plenty of quiet seaside spots to cool down. Compare that to a country the size of Munster with 12 million people who all share the same tiny stretch of packed coastline. 😥

For all the times we might bemoan the usual 16C overcast windy day in Ireland, it can seem very appealing if you're in a setting like this. 😃

Meteorite58 · 19-06-2022 5:43pm

Overcast breezy to windy day here outside Tralee , 14.4C , light rain early morning and just a few drops during the day.

The Round Ireland yacht race is taking place with the leading bigger boats off the Dingle peninsula atm. they have a tough beat up the Western coasts this evening and overnight but the winds will turn more W, SW during Mon morning which will favor the leading faster boats.

Can follow the race here if have any interest. https://yb.tl/srri2022

Might take a spin out to Kerry Hd soon, visibility not great and they could easily be 20 or 30 NM or more off the coast but a boat might tack in closer initially.

About a force F6 at present over the water

mr.stonewall · 19-06-2022 5:51pm

The true cost of food has been driven down over the past 4 decades. The farmer is a price taker at the mercy of many big companies and major multiples. There is less than 80 farmers in the country who specialise in growing veg. If you look at % spend of an average person on the food shop it has dropped to less than 7% of the family income. 30 years ago this was at nearly 20%. We in Ireland are just a high cost country to do business in. EU policy has favoured imports, but this is getting a serious boot in the back side now. Most stuff in the shops, is produced outside of this country, it takes oil, time and cost to get here. This element of it has skyrocketed along with the commodities prices

This cheap produce you mention is coming from countries where the labour cost is a lot lower, most of this produce is generally from these countries. Think of tomatoes. They can be grown in Ireland, but in greenhouses. These need heating. Many of these growers have been hit hard by the oil and gas price hikes, can't get pickers and have taken the decision close down green houses. In southern Spain there is 100's square kilometres of greenhouses. Why. They can produce in the winter to facilitate us. There is a big environmental issue with water around these, just have a quick Google and you will see.

The kernal of the issue is you grow what suits your climate. This gives the best chance of success for any crop

Gonzo · 19-06-2022 6:01pm

GFS 12z rainfall chart. Very little rain until Friday then if this verifies there will be no shortage of rain from Friday and over the weekend and into the early part of the following week. The plants and grass will survive a few more dry days with lots of rain just around the corner. (unless the models flip to dry again during this week).

If this verified some coastal parts of the west could see close to a months worth of rain over a 4 day period starting from Saturday.

giveitholly · 19-06-2022 6:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223866#Comment_119223866

Bring it on.....!

Gonzo · 19-06-2022 6:42pm

Today has been a bit dissapointing compared to yesterday. Yesterday was meant to be the cooler and more cloudy day but today has not been as sunny here as yesterday, much more noticeable breeze too and with more cloud around it has generally felt cooler than yesterday. Still once you get into a shelter from the wind and the sun comes out it feels warm enough.

The much cooler air which moved down across Ireland yesterday is now very visable in a straight line from North-western Spain and Portugal all the way to northern shores of Poland, it cuts through the heat like a knife to butter.

Hopefully nobody here has a holiday planned this week in North-western Spain and northern half of Portugal as the weather could be unseasonably cool and wet at times there this week. The weather in this part of Iberia could be more similar to Donegal in terms of mid teen temperatures and cloud/rain over the next 5 to 7 days.

Mantis Toboggan · 19-06-2022 6:46pm

That cool breeze has been lingering for months, hopefully this is the end of it

Gonzo · 19-06-2022 6:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119224023#Comment_119224023

A respite from the wind over the next 4 days with generally warmer temperatures as well. However next weekend onwards currently does not look great on the models with a strong possibility of a cool, wet and windy spell to come. I'll be watching the models hoping for a bust to this spell.

giveitholly · 19-06-2022 6:59pm

Almost 18c here now in evening sunshine,after a cool cloudy day it has turned into a lovely evening

Gonzo · 19-06-2022 7:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119224062#Comment_119224062

The evening has turned better here too, much more breaks in the cloud and the wind has died down a bit since the afternoon.

road_high · 19-06-2022 7:32pm

The mighty river nore south of Kilkenny! Water quality looks really good actually- so despise the low volume that’s one positive

appledrop · 19-06-2022 8:44pm

Oh god imagine going away and the weather been as bad as home you really would crack up!

beggars_bush · 19-06-2022 8:47pm

i'm hoping France cools down for the next few weeks!

Oscar Bravo · 19-06-2022 9:15pm

Wow, reading some bunch of misery on here. I wonder if some of the posters moaning could provide stats to show where summers in Ireland are dry and sunny. Ive never known summers to provide sun and warm temps. its time to head to Spain for that. Going on my own weekend I managed to do an hours flying in a Cessna around the North west and no issues , good vis etc. Gonzo is one dire poster,i think maby the poster is depressed and gets down looking at the fi charts. No need to look beyond 4 days or you will wreck your head. Get out and enjoy it or just go here and get away www.ryanair.com

Darwin · 19-06-2022 9:18pm

Me too, heading away for my holliers there soon. They need rain in many departments as river levels are very low after a fairly dry winter. I don't mind a dry heat, once humidity levels rise it is an absolute killer.

JasperVdp · 19-06-2022 9:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119223802#Comment_119223802

Such a poor take lol. Seems like you're almost saying we (I'm Belgian) should be jealous of Ireland because you have more coastline and poorer wx? While I'll agree it can get (too) busy on the beach in summer, there's still plenty of spots that are aren't that crowded at all, mainly away from the coastal towns/cities and especially away from cities like Oostende and Blankenberge, which have a direct train connection to cities like Ghent and Brussels.

Gonzo · 19-06-2022 9:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119224620#Comment_119224620

Sorry you don't like my posts but i'm definitely not suffering from depression. The weather in Ireland isn't always what we want but can be dissapointing some seasons and not too bad others. We have 2 Threads here which look at a week ahead and up to 2 weeks or more beyond so looking at charts more than 4 days ahead is something many of us who are interested in weather do all the time. Sure the FI stuff doens't always work out but they can be a good thing to spot trends or changes. When I look at FI charts I just say what the charts are showing and sometimes they can be dire looking and other times great. These charts almost never verify exactly a week later and sometimes they flip to something better or worse. There wouldn't be alot to talk about if we just looked at charts over the next 24 to 72 hours and went no futher.

Summers in Ireland are not dry and sunny throughout but we do get nice warm and settled spells most summers, sometimes they last a few days, other times a few weeks. This summer hasn't had much to offer in terms of fine and settled weather but we did have a few warm days just recently although the sunshine levels could have been better. There could be another 2 or 3 warm and settled days coming this week,alot better than nothing and we are still less than a third of the way through this summer. Last summer was pretty decent, at least June was and the mid portion of July. 6 weeks of good summer weather in Ireland is decent going. Summer returned in September and stayed through till nearly November. Summer 2018 was a classic summer, of course it wasn't all warm and settled but there was plenty of warm and sunny days.

CruelSummer · 19-06-2022 9:44pm

Could the farmers looking for rain develop irrigation systems for their crops like most of Europe for the summer months?

Irish water and the Government should also be setting up proper water storage facilities if they are truly serious about climate change. Anytime there’s a bit of dry weather here there’s talk of hose pipe bans, limiting water usage and general misery merchants out looking for the skies to open on summer.

Disproportionate wet spells followed by dry spells would be the norm in most climate change scenarios I’ve seen.

Gant21 · 19-06-2022 9:47pm

My parents had the fire lighting at home earlier when I called, yesterday would cut with the harsh wind. June is a write off

Summer 2022 - General Discussion

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