Winter 2011/2012

Fiskar

July 23rd, 23C and a lovely day, BBQ finished and whats happening on weather boards!!! You boards people have already 90 posts on Winter!

Winter will be here soon enough, enjoy the few bi-polar days of heat that we should be getting at this time of year

Iancar29

eskimocat wrote: »

I vote that all the snow lovers all move in with Min for the winter, can't see boredom being a problem then!

I think we could do better than this?

johngalway

eskimocat wrote: »

I vote that all the snow lovers all move in with Min for the winter, can't see boredom being a problem then!

Give him advance notice so he can purchase snow shovels and practice for bate'n the poor fools with a hurl to work them harder

fizzycyst

nacho libre wrote: »

What does this mean?

Fixed That For You

Chicken Run

Min wrote: »

lol, but Pangea we are in the same boat I believe, you too always get snow every winter.
OK some people like the bad dandruff look :P but who here doesn't get snow every winter for that look?

East Clare just got frosts while all the epic snow happened last year *grump*

Big Tone

With one of the coldest Julys on record what does that say about the coming winter?!

Low sun spot activity will mean a long cold winter ahead for N. Europe and it seems this will be the trend for at least the next three decades.

HellFireClub

Big Tone wrote: »

With one of the coldest Julys on record what does that say about the coming winter?!

Low sun spot activity will mean a long cold winter ahead for N. Europe and it seems this will be the trend for at least the next three decades.

Or as is often the case in this country, the exact opposite of what is expected will happen! As much as it hurts me to say this, I think we are in for an exceptionally mild and boring winter. Park your hopes right here for a hat trick says I!!!

thetonynator

Big Tone wrote: »

With one of the coldest Julys on record what does that say about the coming winter?!

Low sun spot activity will mean a long cold winter ahead for N. Europe and it seems this will be the trend for at least the next three decades.

Cold so far, by the end of the month, temps should be near average.

7Sins

jon burrows wrote: »

A bit early for this but hey.... . Did anyone here that this winter coming is supposed to be another arctic freeze? Could even be worse than 2010/2011 winter. I heard the presenter from RTE 2fm reading it off a newspaper this morning.

What are your thoughts or did you hear or read this also?

Well, I'm fairly well intune with nature and have predicted the cold snap for the past two winters all by myself

I don't however forsee a cold winter again this year. I "feel" like we're in for an exceptionally wet one, mild at times and only a brief cold spell in February but nothing on the level we saw last year.

Extreme weather will hit parts of France by means of a Tornado, most likely to occur in Northern regions.

Redsunset

Big Tone wrote: »

With one of the coldest Julys on record what does that say about the coming winter?!

Low sun spot activity will mean a long cold winter ahead for N. Europe and it seems this will be the trend for at least the next three decades.

Could be a mild one too.Low Solar seems to promote greater chance of blocked westerlies.So not written in stone im afraid.

dbyrne

nice snow in new zealand, hasnt happend to them in over 30 years according to some reports, roads closed, 30cm snow, 1 or 2 pics below

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/winter-bites-snow-hits-roads-flights-4321784/photos

hope thats here in a few months, even though it cost me as fortune because of the cold and snow we had great fun with my daughter every day in it.

oh and I think all nay sayers and snow haters shouldbe banded from the forum until april or may when all the fun weather is gone

Big Tone

redsunset wrote: »

Could be a mild one too.Low Solar seems to promote greater chance of blocked westerlies.So not written in stone im afraid.

THE LAST two Irish winters delivered plenty of snow and ice, and if solar scientists are correct we had better get used to it.

The sun seems to have gone on strike and the result will be Arctic wintertime conditions across northern Europe for the next 50 years.

The sun should be getting more lively, kicking off solar storms and producing sunspots as it moves into a cyclical peak of activity.

For some reason, however, it has broken out of its normal pattern and has gone decidedly quiet, according to researchers presenting data at the American Astronomical Society annual meeting in New Mexico.

Data from a number of groups shows that solar activity has flatlined, the first time this has happened for years, said the US National Solar Observatory.

The last major example of this occurred during the Maunder Minimum, a 70-year period when no sunspots appeared during 1645-1715. This was also the time that record cold spells occurred, the Thames froze over to allow ice skating and long winters shortened the summertime growing season.

The sun was relatively quiet the last two winters even though it is supposed to be approaching a peak of activity in its 11-year sunspot cycle. The research shows the peak will be greatly reduced or may not happen at all.

“This is highly unusual and unexpected,” according to Dr Frank Hill of the observatory.

Three groups using different methods all came up with the same result. The fact that they match up “is a powerful indicator that the sunspot cycle may be going into hibernation”, said Dr Hill.

Prof Mike Lockwood of the University of Southampton has closely studied the implications of a quiet sun, and will publish new findings within weeks.

He has already established that low solar activity causes high altitude jet stream winds to twist back on themselves during winter months. This channels bitterly cold Arctic air and frigid winds from the Russian Steppes across northern Europe and on to Ireland.

“Our evidence shows that low solar activity makes it easier for something called ‘jet stream blocking’ to occur,” he said yesterday. “I predicted a year ago there was a 10 per cent chance we would be in Maunder Minimum conditions by 2040.”

It hardly seems fair having to plan for a cold winter before Ireland’s summer has arrived. There are advantages, however, including a greater likelihood of a white Christmas.

The financially minded might try making a mint by investing in grit

Redsunset

Yeah i know that,i've a whole thread on the whole low solar event.

Here it is if you have not already seen it.Loads of stuff in it.:)

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055544236&highlight=dead+mini

Iancar29

dbyrne wrote: »

nice snow in new zealand, hasnt happend to them in over 30 years according to some reports, roads closed, 30cm snow, 1 or 2 pics below

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/winter-bites-snow-hits-roads-flights-4321784/photos

hope thats here in a few months, even though it cost me as fortune because of the cold and snow we had great fun with my daughter every day in it.

oh and I think all nay sayers and snow haters shouldbe banded from the forum until april or may when all the fun weather is gone

My cousin in Christchurch on visa there posted this on facebook just moments ago


"Woke up to 5inches of snow and a shut down Christchurch! I am not impressed.. Mr sun PLEASE come out and melt it all!!"

HA

desolate sun

HellFireClub wrote: »

Or as is often the case in this country, the exact opposite of what is expected will happen! As much as it hurts me to say this, I think we are in for an exceptionally mild and boring winter. Park your hopes right here for a hat trick says I!!!

I really hope this isn't the case!
It was all over the media that we are heading for a 30/50/70 year spell of Arctic winters and the general public are convinced that's what we'll get.
I really hope we don't get the opposite. I am getting used to these proper snow scenarios, where snow lasts for weeks (as opposed to slushy snow that's gone by lunchtime!)
Wouldn't it be wonderful if were guaranteed this every year and lakes and rivers froze over regularly. We could have ice-skating like they have in those old films

if people (and the council) get their crampons, grit, etc sorted and the airports manage to keep open during the snow and ice, then there will be less complaints.
And before the snow haters say anything, last Christmas I had no running water for days and the year before that the boiler broke and it wouldn't turn off, meaning unbearable heat for days on end (not to mention crazy oil bills! )
also the house I live in has no central heating, only an open fire and the cold was unbearable. (the house with the boiler is my brothers) So I know the some if the ill effects of the snow but the good outshines the bad. (I really hope I don't fall on it now, for tempting fate!)

Roll on the snow, is what I say!

Iancar29

desolate sun wrote: »

I really hope this isn't the case!
It was all over the media that we are heading for a 30/50/70 year spell of Arctic winters and the general public are convinced that's what we'll get.
I really hope we don't get the opposite. I am getting used to these proper snow scenarios, where snow lasts for weeks (as opposed to slushy snow that's gone by lunchtime!)
Wouldn't it be wonderful if were guaranteed this every year and lakes and rivers froze over regularly. We could have ice-skating like they have in those old films

if people (and the council) get their crampons, grit, etc sorted and the airports manage to keep open during the snow and ice, then there will be less complaints.
And before the snow haters say anything, last Christmas I had no running water for days and the year before that the boiler broke and it wouldn't turn off, meaning unbearable heat for days on end (not to mention crazy oil bills! )
also the house I live in has no central heating, only an open fire and the cold was unbearable. (the house with the boiler is my brothers) So I know the some if the ill effects of the snow but the good outshines the bad. (I really hope I don't fall on it now, for tempting fate!)

Roll on the snow, is what I say!

I just want those early nights to start where i would be looking out the window every 5 mins on the chance there'd be some snow!

AAHHHH CANT WAIT !

Big Tone

redsunset wrote: »

Yeah i know that,i've a whole thread on the whole low solar event.

Here it is if you have not already seen it.Loads of stuff in it.:)

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055544236&highlight=dead+mini

Who am I telling!? Thanks for that, lots of stuff there alrite

nacho libre

desolate sun wrote: »

I really hope this isn't the case!
It was all over the media that we are heading for a 30/50/70 year spell of Arctic winters and the general public are convinced that's what we'll get.
I really hope we don't get the opposite. I am getting used to these proper snow scenarios, where snow lasts for weeks (as opposed to slushy snow that's gone by lunchtime!)
Wouldn't it be wonderful if were guaranteed this every year and lakes and rivers froze over regularly. We could have ice-skating like they have in those old films

if people (and the council) get their crampons, grit, etc sorted and the airports manage to keep open during the snow and ice, then there will be less complaints.
And before the snow haters say anything, last Christmas I had no running water for days and the year before that the boiler broke and it wouldn't turn off, meaning unbearable heat for days on end (not to mention crazy oil bills! )
also the house I live in has no central heating, only an open fire and the cold was unbearable. (the house with the boiler is my brothers) So I know the some if the ill effects of the snow but the good outshines the bad. (I really hope I don't fall on it now, for tempting fate!)

Roll on the snow, is what I say!

Hear!! Hear!! I was recently looking at my pictures from last December, and the thought crossed my mind what if i never see another winter month as epic as this again:( Waking up and looking out the window to see a scene that was akin to Lapland during winter was just brilliant!

patneve2

We've all had our fair share of convective snow/thundersnow in the past two winters, we're just missing a serious nationwide blizzard 1982 style...

Honey-ec

patneve2 wrote: »

We've all had our fair share of convective snow/thundersnow in the past two winters, we're just missing a serious nationwide blizzard 1982 style...

I was born in January 1982 and my mother still talks about it. Coming up to my due-date they were actually making plans with the doctor on how to manage a home birth if it came to that. It didn't, thankfully!

200motels

Honey-ec wrote: »

I was born in January 1982 and my mother still talks about it. Coming up to my due-date they were actually making plans with the doctor on how to manage a home birth if it came to that. It didn't, thankfully!

I remember it well, what a blizzard the best one off all.

Min

eskimocat wrote: »

I vote that all the snow lovers all move in with Min for the winter, can't see boredom being a problem then!

You can sleep with the cows, they kept their shed warm and water icefree.

Min

patneve2 wrote: »

We've all had our fair share of convective snow/thundersnow in the past two winters, we're just missing a serious nationwide blizzard 1982 style...

Cavan had a blizzard last year with snow drifted to over 7 feet, down here it was 3 feet.
2009 there was a fair bit of snow too.

patneve2

Min wrote: »

Cavan had a blizzard last year with snow drifted to over 7 feet, down here it was 3 feet.
2009 there was a fair bit of snow too.

Oh yeah, there was a guy who posted a few pics of 6 foot drifts somewhere in Cavan!! The March 31st blizzard of 2010 however can only be considered a blizzard over small areas (Northern Ireland and hilly areas South of the border)...especially over higher ground...(I presume you live on a hill in KK).

patneve2

For anyone interested, here is a wetterzentrale format chart of the March 2010 blizzard Min was talking about

Harps

Loved that storm, we were in Tipperary when it started and driving all the way back to Letterkenny, the further north we went the more it changed to snow. Heavy rain and flooding down the country so we were shocked that by the time we got to Donegal it was like a blizzard! We got stuck in Barnesmore Gap and had to wait for the road to be ploughed.

Not so lucky over in Derry where hundreds of cars had to be abandoned overnight!

mountainy man

This is 1982 on the promenade in Llandudno, north wales, (a little mountainy man is on the left:D) twas mad weather to have snow on the beach.

Min

patneve2 wrote: »

Oh yeah, there was a guy who posted a few pics of 6 foot drifts somewhere in Cavan!! The March 31st blizzard of 2010 however can only be considered a blizzard over small areas (Northern Ireland and hilly areas South of the border)...especially over higher ground...(I presume you live on a hill in KK).

Yeah, on a hill about 230m high rising to about 330m facing north from where it came, it was wicked, fell as rain in the city but the surrounding hills were impassable.
It was the worst snow I can remember falling, while it lasted it was whiteout conditions so I can only imagine how bad it was in Cavan where it lasted far longer, and there were reports of farm buildings collapsing under the weight of snow.

carwash_2006

This coming winter is one that I would not mind if we got mild and boring weather. I'm expecting twins at the start of January and Slane is between us and the hospital :eek:

4gun

redsunset wrote: »

Could be a mild one too.Low Solar seems to promote greater chance of blocked westerlies.So not written in stone im afraid.

been getting westerlies all "summer" or wind with westerly element in it..for the last few summers we have been getting winds with a northerly element ...Will a predominant westely bring more snow in the winter or just more rain