Best/Worst Winters in Ireland

sryanbruen

Best Winter I experienced was Winter 2010 / 11:

Reasons why

*It was very sunny (though I normally h8 the sunshine) and it helped to make it cold
*December 2010 - one of the best months ever
*The early February storms (I loved this wet spell very much as well)

There was nothing to dislike about this Winter in my opinion.

Worst Winter I experienced was Winter 2012 / 13:

Reasons why

*It was so dull
*It was just cold - very unremarkably cold
*Not that wet

So it was a very poor and unremarkable Winter which made it not memorable at all.

Schadenfreudia

sryanbruen wrote: »

Best Winter I experienced was Winter 2010 / 11:

Reasons why

December 2010 was the coldest month ever recorded in Dublin; it was the snowiest December; it contained the coldest day and the lowest max ever recorded (at Ballyhaise); it had snow lying for exactly a month in Kilternan and Christmas Day had a foot of snow on the ground, -10C overnight and a maximum in cloudless skies of -4C!

sryanbruen

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

December 2010 was the coldest month ever recorded in Dublin; it was the snowiest December; it contained the coldest day and the lowest max ever recorded (at Ballyhaise); it had snow lying for exactly a month in Kilternan and Christmas Day had a foot of snow on the ground, -10C overnight and a maximum in cloudless skies of -4C!

Yeah ino

Pretzill

Winter 2009 had some lovely snow in the Northwest - proper soft stuff - but 2010 was so damn cold I never want to see the like of it again.

In 2010 we had some big snowfalls but then just a complete freeze - icicles hanging from the roof and days when if hardly went above -10, I really like the snow but I think it was the lengthy period of freezing I hated (and no running water for 10 days!)

Because of 2010 repelling me from winter I nominate Winter 2014/2015 - a long warm autumn, (exceptionally colourful) which fooled me into thinking the darker days went quickly - a few snow days late in the winter, which were lovely and only lasted a day at a time (3 consecutive Tuesdays)
and the quickest winter imo on record -
Unfortunately followed by a terrible summer.

Just noticed today the trees are holding on to their leaves much longer this year - even the ash tree is starting to colour which is rare as it normally sheds rapidly whilst green - is there another warm, long autumn on the cards?

BuilderPlumber

The worst 2 winters of the last 20 years were 1997/98 and 2013/14 with an honourable mention to 2010/11, 2009/10 and 1998/99. Later 1997 was pretty much a horrible period of weather that never let up. A very bad summer and an even worse winter culminating in a violent storm on Christmas eve. 2013/14 saw another horrible period of wind culminating in another violent storm in February.

The month-long period of snow, ice and extreme cold from November 26 to St Stephen's day was very inconveniencing. But there was no wind or other bad weather before or after. Early 2011 was mild and benign. 2009/10 saw a similar period of cold weather around December to January but certainly not as bad as 2010. 1998/99 was marred by another violent storm on St Stephen's day. Apart from that, it was ok.

Most other years passed without too much incidents. Some were wetter than others and some colder than others. 2015/16 will be what it will be. We will have the usual predictions of snow and it being the coldest winter since whenever. Every now and again, a sickener of a winter comes along either in the shape of wind or snow and ice. More often than not, our winters feature mostly more benign weather.

sryanbruen

This is looking to be a ****e Winter!

BuilderPlumber

sryanbruen wrote: »

This is looking to be a ****e Winter!

This is shaping up to be a bad winter for sure. It was the worst November in 6 years I'd say and December is starting off bad too. 6 years ago the weather turned from something like we have at present to very cold of a sudden.

sryanbruen

Well if this was a WORST WINTER MONTHS thread, December 2015 would surely make my top spot

Clonmel1000

And no sign of the much reported snow and beast from the east (yet).

Schadenfreudia

Amazing given the exceptional mildness of December that some places in the NW actually had a White Christmas!

Elmer Blooker

Clonmel1000 wrote: »

And no sign of the much reported snow and beast from the east (yet).

YET. The winter of 1946-7 and the mild first three weeks of January was discussed in the winter weather thread a couple of days ago. If you look up the charts for those three weeks there was a permanent anticyclone over NW Russia, identical to what the current charts are constantly showing. By mid Jan of that famous winter the Atlantic appeared to be firmly in control. If (and a very big IF ) anything is going to happen it may take a while for the Atlantic to run out of steam to allow that big Russian anticyclone to influence our weather.
Patience required. Ramp of the day over!

http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/archive/ra/1947/Rrea00119470112.gif
http://www.meteociel.fr/ukmo/runs/2015122800/UW120-21.GIF?28-05

sryanbruen

I think it should be official that this has been the worst Winter in Ireland ever even though it is not over yet

sryanbruen

Okay, since I look like recording 1 more wet day (of estimation), it seems that Winter 2015 / 16 will be among the worst winters in my records.

My formula for this is

Number of wet days x number of dry days / (divided) 2 (I find this confusing :pac: but anyways the lower, the index, the worse, the Winter was)

Winter 2015 / 16 - 356
Winter 1994 / 95 - 390
Winter 2006 / 07 - 456
Winter 1989 / 90 - 621
Winter 2014 / 13 - 675

^ very surprising results! 2014 / 13 was actually kind of good according to this index :P

Graces7

RobertKK wrote: »

Agree.



People in rural Ireland were abandoned, the state basically didn't exist, given we had no police, no ambulance service unless the army was used and people had to fend for themselves, managed to get out once from my home in that month.
Good neighbours with four wheel drives were essential.

---

As for Oneiric 3's 'the stronger the better' for storms. Having your property destroyed, lots of matures falling down and having no power maybe for days and in some cases people killed. It is not better...
For the February 12th storm last year here in Kilkenny, we had an orange warning for it, but when it hit Met Eireann changed to a red warning and to stay indoors, absolute miracle no one died, though a person did in the following days as they repaired falling poles.
I'm sorry, but it had to be said.

Well said indeed Robert. I was stranded up in the Donegal mountains and no way of getting anywhere. Did try once early on and got stuck and had to be pushed home by neighbours who did not bother to ask if i needed anything before swanning off to Mass..then two weeks later got the car out as had no coal or gas left. Melting snow for water.. Same with the gales,. will never forget that drive home when Frank arrived early. Roads were flooding and closing behind me and a tree fell just after I drove past it. The day before Imogen a neighbour here drowned .. I know folk here love drama and excitement but why then not go out and help others?

Schadenfreudia

sryanbruen wrote: »

My formula for this is

Number of wet days x number of dry days / (divided) 2 (I find this confusing :pac: but anyways the lower, the index, the worse, the Winter was)

But that would give a month with only one dry day the same score as a month with only one wet day??

Elmer Blooker

I believe there is a book thats lists the worst winters in Ireland.

Schadenfreudia

Elmer Blooker wrote: »

I believe there is a book thats lists the worst winters in Ireland.

If by "worst" you mean coldest/snowiest then that ain't the book!

sryanbruen

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

But that would give a month with only one dry day the same score as a month with only one wet day??

Well I didn't have one dry day or one wet day. I have had over 20 wet days each of the Winter months and less than 10 dry days each of the Winter months. I think if you want to do it your way and you got those values, find a different formula suitable for you.:rolleyes:. Mine worked out perfect (though values a bit high on some of them) and it is clear to show that the lower the index, the worse the Winter.

Ardrageen

I was born a city boy, never bothered much about the weather.

We never had a powercut, I assume because we lived near a hospital.

I moved to the wilds nearly four years ago and the weather has turned me into a nervous wreck and storm obsessed.

I think it was Storm Darwin that pushed me over the edge. We lost power on the 12th of Feb and I remember it came back on the 19th during the Arsenal Bayern Munich champions league match. We only got it back because one of our neighbours got a petition going that we all signed. I'd say we'd still be waiting otherwise!

We had no water either because of the pump. Smelly times. Not a very nice experience.

Every time I hear a gust my heart leaps into my chest

learn_more

I made the decision to leave the country precisely because of the 2 appalling winters we've had in a row. I've never been more depressed in all my life.

sryanbruen

learn_more wrote: »

I made the decision to leave the country precisely because of the 2 appalling winters we've had in a row. I've never been more depressed in all my life.

So you think Winter 2014/15 was appalling? You couldn't be more wrong dude.

NIMAN

sryanbruen wrote: »

So you think Winter 2014/15 was appalling? You couldn't be more wrong dude.

Agree with you.

Where I live now I have to travel across a particularly dodgy hilly area to get to work, and I am often the 1st person on the road in the morning as I work shifts.

I moved there just after the really bad winter of 2010, expecting to miss a few days each year due to not being able to get to work. But I have yet to miss any time. I have found our winters very mild since 2011 and I'd gladly take them like that forever more.

Would just love a little more sunshine in the summer!

sryanbruen

NIMAN wrote: »

Agree with you.

Where I live now I have to travel across a particularly dodgy hilly area to get to work, and I am often the 1st person on the road in the morning as I work shifts.

I moved there just after the really bad winter of 2010, expecting to miss a few days each year due to not being able to get to work. But I have yet to miss any time. I have found our winters very mild since 2011 and I'd gladly take them like that forever more.

Would just love a little more sunshine in the summer!

Winters 2012/13 and 2014/15 were rather cool but quite variable.

The thing I loved about Winter 2014/15 was how sunny it was, it was Dublin's sunniest Winter on record.

And the really bad winter of 2010? Sorry, I adore snow and Winter 2010/11 is without a doubt, my favourite Winter ever.