Oak Park Carlow

Danno

What is happening with this station? It has not been reporting for two or more days now... Anyone with connections down there know why?

Mothman

Don't have a specific answer, but I anticipate it being back tomorrow on the first working day for many after the holidays. These issues usually don't get resolved over the weekend either.

Danno

Still down... must not be back from the holidays yet. Pity, as tonight could be the coldest night of the year. :rolleyes:

Villain

You make do with my Carlow stats

Seems odd as I'm sure the Teagasc were back today?

Danno

Will do Villain. However, Carlow Town is alot closer to me than Tullow and I compare most of my own readings to there...

Villain

Still down, thats annoying

Danno

As I said to Snowbie on MSN:

Danno says:
Cant post on boards - stupid database error
Snowbie says:
Pox aint it
Danno says:
yup - typical - the coldest night of the year - oak park is offline - boards is off line - my shed PC crashed uploading at 5am this morning - all this new technology was not built with cold weather in mind I tell you!
Snowbie says:
lol
Danno says:
its true - a bit of cold and the country comes to a halt
Danno says:
at least the lightning detectors are quiet - imagine some thunder snow to break out - they'd have a seizure - rant over

Sorry Snowbie, I kinda went off on one there! But then I read post #227 in the current conditions and I got all cheered up again!

Danno

FFS - Still offline. And they are planning to give control of more stations to Teagasc. This is a total joke, the coldest spell in a long time and we have no OFFICIAL data from inland South Eastern Ireland. Boo.

SpitfireIV

Danno wrote: »

FFS - Still offline. And they are planning to give control of more stations to Teagasc. This is a total joke, the coldest spell in a long time and we have no OFFICIAL data from inland South Eastern Ireland. Boo.

I'd say it has something to do with the aliens that they keep captive in Oak park House! Strange stuff goes on up there! Was there a couple of years back with the family to see the new woodland walk, after we had fought off the mosquito's we decided to drive up to the big house itself! Suddenly, out of nowhere a 4X4 appeared behind up, beckoned us to stop, drove up beside us and told us to turn around, we shouldnt be there! So we turned, as did he, he followed us for a bit then......dissapeared!

Tis the aliens I tells ya! They've fiddled with the weather station believing it to be a communication device to back home!! :pac:

Mothman

Danno wrote: »

FFS - Still offline. And they are planning to give control of more stations to Teagasc. This is a total joke, the coldest spell in a long time and we have no OFFICIAL data from inland South Eastern Ireland. Boo.

Firstly this is not "OFFICIAL" data. Sure it more than likely to be always correct. The official data will come to light later. There will have been data recorded.
Secondly, this may be nothing to do with Teagasc. If it wasn't for An Foras Taluntais or whatever was the equivalent state body at the time to start running a Met Station in Oak Park in 1967, then there probably wouldn't be one there now. As for the issues now, who knows, but its not like its off on purpose, but unless you know facts then don't start throwing blame willy nilly.

Yes its maddening to have the station offline, but it is far from a joke.
Yes, you needed a rant and I feel it deserved a rant in response.

fits

Met Eireann are responsible for that station as far as I know anyway.

Mothman

fits wrote: »

Met Eireann are responsible for that station as far as I know anyway.

I would think so as well, it being a synoptic station and an automatic one.

I think the issue is likely to be simply (or not) a communication issue from station to HQ in Glasnevin.

Danno

I would hope it's more of a communications issue MM, we check the web page reguarly and have noticed it's missing Carlow data, do they not see it? :P :P :P

I feel that, in general, ME quality has been slipping slowly over the last few years.
* Shannon radar is frequently off line - it also has a echo problem with the SE - a line extends from SE Tipp, right out to Wexford.
* The radar for the NW coast of Donegal barely covers the coastline
* The website is poorly maintained - Kilkenny, Clones and Rosslare are still on the monthly data pages, despite them being closed and no monthly data is shown for their replacements.
* The M1 buoy has no signal for nearly a year now (is Oak Park going to go the same way)
* Plans are afoot to downgrade most stations from manned to automatic

Im sure there is more that could be added to this list.

Now, I know that ME are probably on a shoestring budget and they certainly do a great job most of the time, but it is small things like this that sully the whole thing.

Rant over.

Villain

Danno I actually called the Met today to ask id they knew what the story was but the guy they put through to who looks after "that area", the lady's words not mine, was not in so she said to ring back tommorrow which I will do

Mothman

Danno wrote: »

* The M1 buoy has no signal for nearly a year now (is Oak Park going to go the same way)

I know its only one of your points, but I think the bouys are mainly the responsiblilty of the Marine Institute.

As for the rest, most of it is a budget issue which you have rightly highlighted.

I would like to mention that I'm delighted with the online availabilty of the Monthly Weather Bulletin, the Monthly Summary is in my inbox on the first working day after months end, the 2008 summer rainfall article I found a great read. All good recent developments. I note that the lack of Oak Park data is a ranting issue for you.
I save my rants for elsewhere.

Mothman

Villain wrote: »

Danno I actually called the Met today to ask id they knew what the story was but the guy they put through to who looks after "that area", the lady's words not mine, was not in so she said to ring back tommorrow which I will do

Also generally remarkably (imho) accommodating re calls from public.

Villain

Yep she was most polite and helpful although a mate of mine works for a council and has to do the ice cast i.e. decide whether or not to grit the roads and he has told me of some interesting and not so friendly conversations with employee's of the Met office

Mothman

Not casting asperstions on your mate, but I can imagine there are heated exchanges. ME are not the only ones on shoe string and I'm sure the council don't want to be gritting needlessly.

Danno

Oh, don't get me wrong Mothman, IMHO the Irish Met do a wonderful job and I'd say that they deserve 9/10 for what they do with what they've got. But it is most unfortunate/terrible that during a significant cold spell we loose data from a very important station. Like, if Roches Point had to go down instead it wouldn't be so bad [cause Cork AP is close enough to provide the region there with data].

Villain

Very true Mothman

testicle

Still down

Villain

Crap I forgot to ring them!

Supercell

Surely there are voluntary sites in the area with official equipment which supply data also like Mothman does for Ashford?
I would be really curious also to see the lows experienced in that area during this spell.
Mothman do you have access to any of the data supplied to Met Eireann from people such as yourself?

Villain

I know Coillte have a fairly advanced station in Ballintemple which is only 3 miles from me but I don't believe it is connected to anything unless they report manually to the Met.

I would like to see Oak Parks stats to compare them to mine, although I did use a mecury stick to compare it to my station and it appeared to be spot on

Mothman

Supercell wrote: »

Surely there are voluntary sites in the area with official equipment which supply data also like Mothman does for Ashford?
I would be really curious also to see the lows experienced in that area during this spell.
Mothman do you have access to any of the data supplied to Met Eireann from people such as yourself?

There are c80 climatological stations around the country. C40 are detailed in the Monthly Weather Bulletin so there are at least same number again not detailed, mine included.
The data from these stations, including my own is sent in after each months end.

There is one in or about Athy

No I don't have access to the data from Climatological Stations

Mothman

Kilkenny People article

Danno

Katharine, do you visit boards weather forum often? :P

“Once the problem has been fixed, the website should be updated and people would be able to find out then what the temperatures were during the recent freezing weather,” added the Met Eireann spokesperson. “People should check out the “Climate” section of the website.”

She should have challenged them as to why Oak Park is still not in the "Climate" section of the website.

Good find Mothman.

Any word as to why ME are not putting up the data even still? Perhaps the GW crowd in the Green Party want Carlow data excluded in case it scuppers the idea that Ireland is warming up?

Snowbie

I think the good people from both parties involved will have the situation rectified asap. The data from Oak park is as important to ME for that region as it is to Danno the public

Mothman

Oak Park reporting again

The past data not up yet but will be found in the climate section here........sometime

Danno

Congrats to Met Eireann, Kilkenny People Newspapers, Mothman, Villian and Boards.ie for getting this back online.