Tuesday 12th - Strong winds, Heavy Rain & Surprise Snow

M.T. Cranium

Was looking at all the photos, amazing scenes there, and I commented on the photo thread that there's too much snow there for a total meltdown on the weekend. For certain vast amounts of melting will take place from the existing snow line up to about half way to the summits perhaps, but all that snow can't possibly melt in 24-36 hours of +5 and heavy rain, it would take maybe a week of +8-10 and rain for that to happen.

Which raises the question, has there ever been problems in these mountain pass areas with snowslides or avalanches, because this weekend is prime avalanche weather if the slopes and snowfalls are there for it. This would also apply to various other mountain areas in Ireland which must have similar snow packs (I have heard this for sure about one peak in Kerry).

For certain, there would be mudslide issues to consider in the Friday forecast, we have steeper slopes perhaps around Vancouver but in this coming weather pattern you could pretty much guarantee a few major mudslides and these are usually sourced around 300 metres above sea level and pour out to near 100 metres above sea level, so that's the elevation zone that is most at risk, it's caused by all the melting snow from just above those elevations overflowing stream drainage, then the overflowing stream brings down mud, rocks, trees etc, and it all tends to block the flow at some point then release under further water pressure -- we've had major disasters on the west coast in the past from mudslides or debris torrents as they are better known.

The mining town of Britannia Beach was basically washed out into the ocean (Howe Sound) in the 1920s some time by one of these, and the highway from Vancouver to Whistler has been cut several times when rivers took out the bridges in high debris flood stage. They have had to re-engineer several stretches of this highway to keep maximum debris torrent levels below the bridges. Now I realize that the scale is a bit different in Ireland, but we'll have to consider that this Friday weather event could make an unholy mess in some places with the combined effects of rain and melting snow, also the frost coming out of the ground in some elevations.

I also envisage very thick fog developing over these snow-covered areas as the air mass, which will have temps near 8 C and dew points similar, chills down to 5, 6 or 7 and super-saturates, there will be zero visibility in places when this moves in. Just mentioning this as Friday and especially Friday night is a high-volume travel time.

isle of man

have to say we have had over 18 hours of snow in some places,
only really stuck on the hills or high lvls,
would say we had 3-5 in in places,

but the drifts are fun, found a 10ft one tonight will post pics in weather pics.

Graces7

We know the Fraser Valley flooding very well; there have been winters with a boat tied to to the house.

Just a note to thank people for messages re our people in Haiti. Our eight are still missing; we know they were in Port au Prince, working on a feeding programme among the poorest there and gathering in the many abandoned baby girls in the dire poverty there.

So they were in the outskirts collecting food.

It is still total chaos; they are still digging bodies out.

All we can do is wait by the phone and pray; so I am off to do that now.

Peace this day and thank you. If you want to email my email is easier for me to handle; it takes forever to log in here with this erratic connection.

anchoresscj at yahoo dot com

Stay safe and dry and warm

A

M.T. Cranium wrote: »

Was looking at all the photos, amazing scenes there, and I commented on the photo thread that there's too much snow there for a total meltdown on the weekend. For certain vast amounts of melting will take place from the existing snow line up to about half way to the summits perhaps, but all that snow can't possibly melt in 24-36 hours of +5 and heavy rain, it would take maybe a week of +8-10 and rain for that to happen.

Which raises the question, has there ever been problems in these mountain pass areas with snowslides or avalanches, because this weekend is prime avalanche weather if the slopes and snowfalls are there for it. This would also apply to various other mountain areas in Ireland which must have similar snow packs (I have heard this for sure about one peak in Kerry).

For certain, there would be mudslide issues to consider in the Friday forecast, we have steeper slopes perhaps around Vancouver but in this coming weather pattern you could pretty much guarantee a few major mudslides and these are usually sourced around 300 metres above sea level and pour out to near 100 metres above sea level, so that's the elevation zone that is most at risk, it's caused by all the melting snow from just above those elevations overflowing stream drainage, then the overflowing stream brings down mud, rocks, trees etc, and it all tends to block the flow at some point then release under further water pressure -- we've had major disasters on the west coast in the past from mudslides or debris torrents as they are better known.

The mining town of Britannia Beach was basically washed out into the ocean (Howe Sound) in the 1920s some time by one of these, and the highway from Vancouver to Whistler has been cut several times when rivers took out the bridges in high debris flood stage. They have had to re-engineer several stretches of this highway to keep maximum debris torrent levels below the bridges. Now I realize that the scale is a bit different in Ireland, but we'll have to consider that this Friday weather event could make an unholy mess in some places with the combined effects of rain and melting snow, also the frost coming out of the ground in some elevations.

I also envisage very thick fog developing over these snow-covered areas as the air mass, which will have temps near 8 C and dew points similar, chills down to 5, 6 or 7 and super-saturates, there will be zero visibility in places when this moves in. Just mentioning this as Friday and especially Friday night is a high-volume travel time.

hoody

Temp showing -1.5C in the car this morning and roads very icy again in Galway, radio also saying similar conditions have already caused some collisions on the M50 in Dublin

snaps

Yes -1c here freezing fog, Im so glad i never re booked my flight to london for the 4th time for this morning, wouldnt say anything is coming and going there today, but as normal Knock are saying everything is operating as normal!

Ricky91t

It seems quite a few places in Ireland are 0 degrees or under..Thought it was meant to be warmer this week?

jenzz

Friend just saw 6 crashes between Loughlinstown roundabout & Bray Herbert rd turn off:eek: - Must be lethal out there

Speak Now

Ricky91t wrote: »

It seems quite a few places in Ireland are 0 degrees or under..Thought it was meant to be warmer this week?

Well that is warmer than what is was isn't it?
Problem is fog is down, it's -1 and irish drivers don't take note until they hit the black ice.

jambofc

Ricky91t wrote: »

It seems quite a few places in Ireland are 0 degrees or under..Thought it was meant to be warmer this week?

friday evening you will be able to have a barby it will be so mild,unfortunately with the dramatic rise in temp comes a lot of rain and a rapid thawing of frozen ground,not good.
sunday looks good for a bit of sun and dry weather,hopefully i can get out on me motorbike for a goodspin for the first time since well before christmas

owenc

so this mild spell is ment to only last to tuesday then temps back down to 3c the highest we are forecasted to get to is 8c then back down to 5-6c then down to 2-3c again

chris2007

this thread should be closed its thursday lol

M.T. Cranium

Knock, Knock.

Who's there?

Nobody.

Nobody who?

Nobody who is flying anywhere today.

jambofc

M.T. Cranium wrote: »

Knock, Knock.

Who's there?

Nobody.

Nobody who?

Nobody who is flying anywhere today.

stick to forecasting the weather MT

i'll get youre coat

Melanoma

The END?