When was the last time high pressure was directly over Ireland for more than 5 days?

Portweather · 23-06-2024 8:25am #1

We can never seem to get a run of days with sunny weather even in winter. It’s depressing

sryanbruen · 23-06-2024 1:27pm

To be honest, high pressure being directly over Ireland for more than 5 days is a bit of a stretch because more often than not, even during fine spells, it is centred elsewhere. For instance, we had the heatwave during the opening third of last September. The high pressure was centred over Ireland maybe for three quarters of a day (the 3rd) before it became centred to our east drawing in the exceptional warm airmass that led to the heatwave.

Even during May/June 2023's prolonged dry spell, the anticyclone was often centred just to the north or northwest of Ireland rather than centrally located at home.

August 2022 heatwave had the high centred over Ireland from the 7th-9th before positioning itself further east but maintaining strong influence so skies were very clear with unbroken sunshine for numerous days.

I can't think of much examples of Ireland having centrally located anticyclones over a stretch of 5 consecutive days. The second week of July 2013 is one of them where it stayed for an entire week before it repositioned itself slightly but remained very warm, dry and mostly sunny for another week.

Elmer Blooker · 25-06-2024 9:18am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058356972/when-was-the-last-time-high-pressure-was-directly-over-ireland-for-more-than-5-days

If a high pressure sits on top of us in winter it might give clear skies and frost initially but it will eventually stagnate resulting in the dreaded anti cyclonic gloom.
We want it between say Scandinavia and Greenland but high pressure here is now very rare during winter months. Jan and Dec 2010 and the 2018 ‘beast’ are the only occasions I remember it happening this century but I’m sure there’s been other occasions which I can’t remember as they were more than likely brief ‘topplers’.
Feb 2023 was anti cyclonic and unusually dry but not cold because of the permanent blanket of cloud.

Artane2002 · 25-06-2024 9:30am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122300859#Comment_122300859

These days, highs in Greenland/Scandinavia happen more often than you'd think, however, we just have crap luck 🙄

Incidences of Greenland/Scandi highs that I can remember in mid-November to mid-March since the BFTE:

January 2024 (Greenland high)

March 2023 (Greenland high - there was a widespread frontal snowfall event but not memorable for most)

November/December 2023 (Greenland high - December 1st doesn't look that dissimilar to December 1st 2010 in fact if I remember correctly)

November 2022/December 2022 (Scandi high retrogressing to Greenland)

December 2021 (Greenland high)

Winter 2020-21 had multiple Greenland/Scandi highs but uppers were rubbish due to a Russian high

November/December 2018 had Scandi highs

Neddyusa · 25-06-2024 9:43am

Lads, interesting answers but I think ye might be taking the word "directly" in the OP's question too literally....?

I've a feeling they just want to know when was the last extended spell of high pressure.

compsys · 25-06-2024 9:53am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122300961#Comment_122300961

Perhaps a better question might be: when was the last time every station in the country had no rain for 5 days in a row?

Chris_5339762 · 25-06-2024 1:52pm

We would usually an extended high pressure for two weeks, three times per year.

Once in the winter, once at Leaving Cert time, and once in September when the schools go back. Sounds like I'm not being serious, but it sorta does correlate.

That usual pattern hasn't happened for the last appox two years? We get fleeting ridges of high pressure, but nothing centered over us.

StormForce13 · 25-06-2024 2:06pm

🤔.

When was the last time high pressure was directly over Ireland for more than 5 days?

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