Why does it rarely freeze in Dublin 3?

CerebralCortex

Hi there,
Sorry if this has already been answered in here but after a search I couldn't find anything.

I've lived in Dublin 3 for the last 2 years and in all that time I can only think of maybe one time where I've seen ground frost. I used to live southside D4 etc. but before that I was based in the west of Ireland, Galway and Limerick.

Actually first thing that amazes me is how little it rains here compared to Galway. I've also seen a lot less frost in this part of Ireland (Dublin).

Anyway I digress. Is it normal (average over the order of years) for an area like Dublin 3 to experience very little ground frost or have the last two years been very mild? Is the city infrastructure (concrete etc.) more likely to store heat thus preventing ground frost? I do recall the temperature in accuweather for the Ringsend area dropping below 0deg but it didn't stay long enough for frost.

Thanks.

Iancar29

Sea breeze would be a factor in not letting temperatures drops close/below freezing unless we have a very cold easterly airflow. The likes of 2010 and such..

And yes... the more infrastructure there is the more a local "heat island" effect .

Nabber

During 2010, I had to commute from D4 (Ringsend) to D12(Ballymount), about 9km distance. The difference in the road surfaces was incredible. D4 had a gentle breeze coming in off the sea, I think at the time the sea was 12-13c. It kept temps around the coast 'some what' milder than inland.

But Dublin ASL hasn't had too many frosty days in the past 3years, not just isolated to Dublin3.

But this year.... This is the year the Irish see freezes, DUBLIN drops to -24c and there is no sea to create lake effect snow..... This is our year, for get about the Whest Cerebral, they will be but memories!!!!

CerebralCortex

Nabber wrote: »

During 2010, I had to commute from D4 (Ringsend) to D12(Ballymount), about 9km distance. The difference in the road surfaces was incredible. D4 had a gentle breeze coming in off the sea, I think at the time the sea was 12-13c. It kept temps around the coast 'some what' milder than inland.

But Dublin ASL hasn't had too many frosty days in the past 3years, not just isolated to Dublin3.

But this year.... This is the year the Irish see freezes, DUBLIN drops to -24c and there is no sea to create lake effect snow..... This is our year, for get about the Whest Cerebral, they will be but memories!!!!

Without a doubt As a matter of interest its 2°c in Ringsend. Getting close.

Eugene Norman

I once drove from Raheny by the coast to Dublin 15. Dublin 15, outside the M50 was freezing and the frost was deep. Raheny had no ground frost and there was a sea breeze.

Micro climates. Good news if you like snow is that in 2010 conditions – easterlies and sea effects combine to dump a lot of snow on the coast. But frost is definitely rarer than inland.

Seaswimmer

As outlined in previous posts the proximity to the coast and height above sea level has an effect.

I commute by bike from Deansgrange to Santry every day. There can be as much as 4 degrees difference between the 2 locations during a cold spell. (I have a small weather station in both places)

CerebralCortex

I suppose it goes without saying that the further west you go into Dublin i.e. the Dublin mountains or out of the Liffey valley and further from the sea the colder it gets.