The Big Freeze ( Saturday 9th January 2010 )

ninebeanrows

As the biggest freeze since 1963 grips the nation, snow looks likely to spread into the east during the next few hours.

Meanwhile every weather station in Ireland is sub-zero a feat that is extremely rare.

Dublin Air is -8c

We must appreciate the extreme condtions that our country face.

The next few hours could bring renewed snowfall, we wait with interest as our salt runs bare.

Take care everybody.

Location Wind Weather Temp Humidity Rain Pressure
Dir Speed(Kts) oC (%) (mm) (hPa)
BALLYHAISE(A) W 01 FOG THICKENING -8 92 0.0 1032
BELMULLET CALM FINE -4 94 Trace 1032
CASEMENT SW 05 FINE -7 98 Trace 1031
CLAREMORRIS(A) CALM - n/a - -9 96 0.0 1033
CORK AIRPORT N 09 FINE -3 78 Trace 1031
DUBLIN AIRPORT W 10 FINE -8 100 Trace 1031
FINNER CAMP(A) SE 03 - n/a - -6 100 n/a 1033
GURTEEN(A) CALM FOG -7 100 0.0 1033
JOHNSTOWN CASTLE(A) N 10 FAIR -3 77 0.0 1030
KNOCK AIRPORT N 03 - n/a - -3 92 0.0 1033
MACE HEAD(A) E 04 FAIR -3 78 0.0 1032
MALIN HEAD(A) SW 09 FAIR -3 91 0.0 1032
MULLINGAR(A) N 02 RECENT FOG -7 99 0.0 1032
OAK PARK CARLOW(A) N 01 MIST -8 95 0.0 1032
ROCHES POINT(A) N 08 FAIR -1 82 0.0 1031
SHANNON AIRPORT NE 01 FREEZING FOG -8 98 Trace 1032
SHERKIN ISLAND(A) NE 08 FAIR -2 80 0.0 1031
VALENTIA E 04 FINE -3 82 Trace 103

Darragh29

I recorded -8 this evening in Kiltipper/Firhouse. Temp has now risen to -3, probably due to cloud cover at the moment...

-7.9 Here at the moment, highest reading today -5.

Just about to play with the traffic, going to Dublin - what fun!!

Esmeralda34

Hi Darragh29

Was about to reply to your last post but the thread closed.

Just want to say I'm with you all the way! Except for the miserable fact that I am one of those workers that just has to make it in to work on Monday - unless I just can't!

Wish I could head up the Slieve Mish (to be honest) and take it all in. Also with my doggy, but he passed away earlier last month. He didn't like the snow too much anyway, bless him!

I just think this weather is fabulous! Wow - would be great to be a kid again!!

Hope you have the Monday you're hoping for!!

Redsunset

OH OH power just gone.im on limited battery life now and don't know when it'll be back.
might be a frozen powerline or something.

May save battery for tomorrow adios.

TheMilkyPirate

Weathercheck, Any significant changes on the charts that have just rolled out?

joes girls

Hey baraca ...... you still up too, keep looking out the window, just waiting for it all to kick off:)

TheMilkyPirate

joes girls wrote: »

Hey baraca ...... you still up too, keep looking out the window, just waiting for it all to kick off:)

Yeah just been up in the golf course slidin down the hills on whatever we could find for the last two hours, Mental up there. Kids eh? :rolleyes:

smellslikeshoes

Starting to see some nice action in the Irish sea.

Darragh29

Esmeralda34 wrote: »

Hi Darragh29

Was about to reply to your last post but the thread closed.

Just want to say I'm with you all the way! Except for the miserable fact that I am one of those workers that just has to make it in to work on Monday - unless I just can't!

Wish I could head up the Slieve Mish (to be honest) and take it all in. Also with my doggy, but he passed away earlier last month. He didn't like the snow too much anyway, bless him!

I just think this weather is fabulous! Wow - would be great to be a kid again!!

Hope you have the Monday you're hoping for!!

Well as much as I call upon the dog (80% Irish wolfhound no less!), we were up walking in the Dublin Mountains a few nights ago and a blizzard came down a few feet from the summit, he sat down and downed tools on me because the snow was so cold it got caught up in his eyes and the fur around his face and his whole coat and he got rattled, so he decided he wasn't going any further, (up or down the mountain!). I had to carry him back down the mountain and he was grand once we got back to the car... Now this would be grand only that he is no small dog!

So just a heads up to any Wolfhound/Deerhound owners out there... These dogs have great stamina and strength, but in the snow, their coat is quite thin relative to other breeds and they might struggle in the current conditions especially in a blizzard or snowy conditions where snow can stick to their coats and their face and they just can't see where they are going due to ice covering their face...

Duiske

Weathercheck wrote: »

As the biggest freeze since 1963 grips the nation, snow looks likely to spread into the east during the next few hours.

Yup WC, its coming along nicely this morning. I posted about 10.30 last night regarding the snow potential for this morning and early afternoon, but I may have underestimated it a little. Looks likely that we could be in for some pretty decent falls along the east coast. While the showers may not be particularly heavy, they will be frequent, and some will be fairly prolonged.

As always with showery outbreaks its impossible to be specific about where and when, but all Eastern counties looking good this morning, along with Northern coastal areas. The heavier showers are also likely to travel a fair bit inland. A guesstimate would be anywhere within 40 miles of NE/E/SE coasts could pick up these showers before early afternoon.

TheMilkyPirate

smellslikeshoes wrote: »

Starting to see some nice action in the Irish sea.

Hopefully that wind will turn north easterly soon, Might see a nice bit of snow .

Supercell

Looking at the radar its all about to kick off in the next couple of hours. Surprised there is so much convection with such high pressure. I have a feeling the next few days will be epic.

Mothman

Weathercheck wrote: »

Meanwhile every weather station in Ireland is sub-zero a feat that is extremely rare.

Except with me
Now +1.2C Dp -2.5C
Both rising.

But agree it is unusual. I'm expecting sleet/rain at coast, Bouy M2 5.5/1.2 at 4am, this will freeze on ground and create even more horrible conditions than snow and more horrible than what is already on the roads.
Its going to be very messy and I think this extremely treacherous messyness will spread inland into next week as a thaw gets on the way.

TheMilkyPirate

Supercell wrote: »

Looking at the radar its all about to kick off in the next couple of hours. Surprised there is so much convection with such high pressure. I have a feeling the next few days will be epic.

Hope your right SC. Are the winds expected to turn more easterly in the next few hours?

joes girls

baraca wrote: »

Yeah just been up in the golf course slidin down the hills on whatever we could find for the last two hours, Mental up there. Kids eh? :rolleyes:

Lord are ya mad ....... went to the chipper around 11, nearly lost the will to live it was that cold, but the chips and curry dip heated me back up!!!

Talks tomorrow when we are snowed in:)
Nites all!

Supercell

MM despite the alarming temperature rise (here too) I think the showers will almost certainly be wintry down there as well and temperatures will fall in precipitation.

TheMilkyPirate

joes girls wrote: »

Lord are ya mad ....... went to the chipper around 11, nearly lost the will to live it was that cold, but the chips and curry dip heated me back up!!!

Talks tomorrow when we are snowed in:)
Nites all!

Didn't seem that cold TBH!

Hopefully yeah night joes!

Supercell

baraca wrote: »

Hope your right SC. Are the winds expected to turn more easterly in the next few hours?

They are, the huge rise in temperature for coastal locations such as Mothman and myself is testament to that.

Mothman

Supercell wrote: »

MM despite the alarming temperature rise (here too) I think the showers will almost certainly be wintry down there as well and temperatures will fall in precipitation.

I'm not anticiapting a fall with me unless precipitation is heavy. I've a direct tap into the maritime air already and this will continue.
At this stage evey km inland makes a big difference.

Mothman

And as the winds tern more east the maritime influence will spread inland.

It's the subzero raods that concern me and the sheets of black ice that are iMO inevitable.

Banner_girl

baraca wrote: »

Didn't seem that cold TBH!

Hopefully yeah night joes!

Lucky u...-9.6 here in clare

Mothman

1.7/-2.1C

Supercell

Gonna be in positive numbers myself soon if this keeps up.
How the heck is Dublin and BB still way below zero?
I console myself with the thought that this obviously means i'm getting showers soon....

Mothman

And with pressure near 1030mb and while I know its not be all and end all, I don't anticipate intense showers. Flurries with the occassional heavier burst

Mothman

By the way the highest temp on the Met E table of stations at 5am was -2C at the 3 coastal stations in Cork and Kerry.

Very cold throughout midlands
http://www.irelandsweather.com/
The map and table auto refresh every 5 minutes

Esmeralda34

Darragh29 wrote: »

Well as much as I call upon the dog (80% Irish wolfhound no less!), we were up walking in the Dublin Mountains a few nights ago and a blizzard came down a few feet from the summit, he sat down and downed tools on me because the snow was so cold it got caught up in his eyes and the fur around his face and his whole coat and he got rattled, so he decided he wasn't going any further, (up or down the mountain!). I had to carry him back down the mountain and he was grand once we got back to the car... Now this would be grand only that he is no small dog!

So just a heads up to any Wolfhound/Deerhound owners out there... These dogs have great stamina and strength, but in the snow, their coat is quite thin relative to other breeds and they might struggle in the current conditions especially in a blizzard or snowy conditions where snow can stick to their coats and their face and they just can't see where they are going due to ice covering their face...

Ahh, 80% Irish Wolfhound?! Fabulous! Fair play to you carrying him back down. My little fella was a black cocker spaniel and his long hair would end up matted with snow/ice balls. He didn't know what to make out of it in his younger years but once he reached adulthood he certainly didn't like it!!

Fantastic to see dogs enjoying this weather too though. It just adds to it all.

Our thingy is now showing only -1.4! Though -7 at the airport. Where's the -12 for tonight in Dublin indicated on the RTE News yesterday?

Darragh29

Mothman wrote: »

By the way the highest temp on the Met E table of stations at 5am was -2C at the 3 coastal stations in Cork and Kerry.

Very cold throughout midlands
http://www.irelandsweather.com/
The map and table auto refresh every 5 minutes

-6 here now, milder than last night...

Supercell

-0.4°C and rising here...

Supercell

i have to say this doesnt bode well for Sunday. Yes the temps in Dublin are low now but its shallow cold, when the wind turns east proper its going to rise temps in the city at a massive rate . The subsequent thaw is going to make for some messy road conditions.

Mothman

Esmeralda34 wrote: »

Our thingy is now showing only -1.4! Though -7 at the airport. Where's the -12 for tonight in Dublin indicated on the RTE News yesterday?

Just because one or spot locations didn't record -12C does not mean it did not occur. -10 to -12C is widespread across midlands and while temps have eased a tiny bit in Dublin I've no doubt an unrecorded -12C did occur in western Dublin.

Anyway -9.5C at Dublin AP tonight or -12C, both are *very* cold and IMO its splitting hairs to point out differences

Mothman

Supercell wrote: »

i have to say this doesnt bode well for Sunday. Yes the temps in Dublin are low now but its shallow cold, when the wind turns east proper its going to rise temps in the city at a massive rate . The subsequent thaw is going to make for some messy road conditions.

The roads are going to get a lot worse before thay improve and it may be days before black ice becomes less widespread.
From an imby point of view I've had no expectation of getting accumulation this week end into Monday. I'm clued into my location, but not clued in to call it for you

Mothman

1.9/-1.7C
At least the rate of rise is slowing...

Supercell

-0.2°C ..rate not really slowing here, will be positive by 07:00 probably.
Tbh a slight feeling of cabin fever here..it wouldnt be the worst thing if..

Mothman

Despite the Met E radar indication precipitation moving onshore south of me, it is partly cloudy here and in that direction with the moon in view

1.9/-1.5C

Mothman

Supercell wrote: »

-0.2°C ..rate not really slowing here, will be positive by 07:00 probably.
Tbh a slight feeling of cabin fever here..it wouldnt be the worst thing if..

Temps into positive figures and a bit of drizzle if it occured will doing nothing but melt any frost/snow on trees. It'll do nothing to help toy get out

TheMilkyPirate

Irish sea seems to be picking up somewhat now showers coming closer to the coastline. Hopefully we'll get a few centimetres outta this because TBH all i see sunday and monday being is a big rainy mess.

Mr Benevolent

baraca wrote: »

Irish sea seems to be picking up somewhat now showers coming closer to the coastline. Hopefully we'll get a few centimetres outta this because TBH all i see sunday and monday being is a big rainy mess.

Brilliant news tbh. I can hopefully get home from the airport without any drama.

Met Eireann Update:

There will be precipitation at times over most parts of the country during SUNDAY NIGHT and MONDAY, and much or all of it will be sleet or snow - only along some southern coasts, if anywhere, might it turn to rain at times. The snow will be heavy enough in places to give 5 to 10 cm or so of further snowfall in some areas, with the southern half of the country most at risk. The north and northwest should stay dry for a while at least, but here too there probably will be some sleet or snow eventually during Monday or Monday night. LATER MONDAY or MONDAY NIGHT, however, the wintry precipitation will tend to die out and move away northwards, leaving most places dry. Although temperatures on both Sunday night and Monday night won't reach the exceptional levels of the last few nights, frosty icy conditions will continue on a widespread scale. There will be a biting wind much of the time as well, east to northeast initially, veering east to southeast Monday or Monday night. TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY will see some slight improvement in temperatures at times, with occasional daytime thawing possible (especially in the south). However it won't be enough to prevent ongoing problems with frost, ice and lying snow - these will persist in many areas, and even where some thawing does occur at times the icy conditions could return on any night. It will also remain cold enough for precipitation to still fall as sleet or snow in places and cause further disruption, or to increase the ice risk even where it falls as rain. (Current indications as regards precipitation are that, although some areas will be dry throughout, there is a continuing risk of wintry showers, especially near Irish Sea coasts - and over the southern half of the country more general rain, sleet or snow is possible at times, especially on Tuesday). A chilly east to southeast wind on Tuesday will die down Tuesday night or Wednesday.

Supercell

+0.1°C ..hmm

TheMilkyPirate

Some big showers developing now.

Mothman

Confab wrote: »

Brilliant news tbh. I can hopefully get home from the airport without any drama.

I don't know when you are travelling but roads are going to be dire with widespread black ice for days. Ground temperatures are well below freezing. Whatever falls from the sky even if air temp is 5C will freeze on the ground creating sheets of black ice.
Positive air temps will not warm the ground, only rain will do that, but it'll still take time.

irish1967

Showing -4.2 here now. It's another snow watch day here. Radar at the ready.

holly1

Are we in North Kildare now not going to get our snow on Sun/Mon,has everything changed again!!!:rolleyes::(

DOCARCH

-2.3 DP -3.0c. Min overnight was -6.3c as recorded yesterday evening. Cloudy here with a light Nw (?) breeze.

Looking at radar: there's the trough, just as forecast. I eagerly await its arrival.

Temps and DPs not fantastic around (M2 bouy) - just hope that is not an indicator for the main 'event' tomorrow.

Graces7

That will get worse, then steady out after three weeks..

The cabin fever I mean!!

Supercell wrote: »

-0.2°C ..rate not really slowing here, will be positive by 07:00 probably.
Tbh a slight feeling of cabin fever here..it wouldnt be the worst thing if..

Mothman

2.2/-0.9 and snizzle

On surfaces above ground it is thawing, and on the sub zero ground it is sticking

Mothman

holly1 wrote: »

Are we in North Kildare now not going to get our snow on Sun/Mon,has everything changed again!!!:rolleyes::(

Don't take my IMBY statements, (coastal wicklow) as being indictative for Kildare. Along the coastal margin, say 5 or perhaps 10 miles depending on local topography and how strong an easterly there is, I believe Sun/Mon was always going to be marginal. My opinion, others may disagree

Supercell

Beautiful light fluffy snow here now.
Temperature rise seems to have (temporarily) halted at 0.2°C.

snaps

-9.4c here near claremorris, fog as well. Not a breath of wind.

Mothman

Good news SC
Now starting to settle on above ground surfaces
1.9/-1.0C
So despite my thinking otherwise, temp trend is down for moment

Supercell

Wow, there is a lot of precip developing in the Irish Sea