Irish Weather Statistics

sryanbruen

Monthly air minimum temperatures updated back to 1977 and including April 2018's air minimum too. Will update to include a few more years another day.

Year|Jan|Feb|Mar|Apr|May|Jun|Jul|Aug|Sep|Oct|Nov|Dec|Ann
2018|-6.8|-5.7|-7.0|-5.3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-7.0
2017|-5.7|-5.6|-3.3|-2.2|-1.5|3.6|3.0|3.5|1.0|0.2|-3.5|-6.6|-6.6
2016|-3.8|-5.9|-5.1|-3.3|-1.4|2.5|4.8|4.5|1.3|-2.5|-7.3|-7.5|-7.5
2015|-6.2|-7.9|-5.1|-4.0|-1.6|0.7|3.0|2.8|0.6|-2.0|-3.2|-2.6|-7.9
2014|-4.5|-4.3|-4.0|-1.9|1.7|0.5|3.9|1.5|0.8|-1.5|-4.3|-7.5|-7.5
2013|-6.4|-7.4|-7.6|-7.3|-1.2|2.8|5.4|3.6|0.3|-1.9|-6.7|-4.8|-7.6
2012|-4.0|-6.7|-2.9|-4.0|-3.8|1.1|3.0|4.9|-0.8|-4.0|-4.5|-5.6|-6.7
2011|-8.6|-7.1|-7.3|-0.7|0.9|0.1|4.7|2.2|3.4|-0.5|-3.2|-4.9|-8.6
2010|-16.3|-8.1|-7.6|-4.4|-2.0|2.6|5.1|0.6|0.7|-4.3|-11.5|-17.5|-17.5
2009|-7.9|-5.1|-4.1|-1.5|-0.7|1.1|3.5|5.0|2.0|-1.9|-2.8|-10.0|-10.0
2008|-7.8|-7.7|-4.4|-2.3|0.0|1.5|2.6|4.8|0.2|-3.0|-5.2|-5.8|-7.8
2007|-4.5|-8.0|-3.7|-2.0|-1.0|3.8|3.6|6.1|-1.1|-2.7|-4.0|-6.4|-8.0
2006|-6.7|-5.0|-8.6|-4.5|0.0|2.0|4.4|2.5|2.5|0.6|-4.0|-4.3|-8.6
2005|-4.6|-5.3|-5.6|-2.4|-1.7|1.2|3.8|5.1|0.1|-1.8|-5.3|-5.2|-5.6
2004|-7.7|-7.2|-7.4|-1.6|-1.0|2.9|4.0|3.6|3.0|-3.8|-2.0|-3.3|-7.7
2003|-6.3|-7.6|-5.5|-5.3|-0.2|2.6|6.2|2.9|1.6|-5.5|-5.1|-5.7|-7.6
2002|-9.4|-4.1|-3.8|-3.3|-0.1|1.7|3.0|3.7|0.5|-3.8|-3.0|-6.5|-9.4
2001|-7.0|-6.1|-9.0|-2.0|-1.4|0.9|3.0|2.7|0.4|-0.2|-3.0|-9.0|-9.0
2000|-5.0|-1.6|-3.7|-5.4|-0.4|2.5|5.2|3.4|0.9|-1.6|-2.0|-14.0|-14.0
1999|-7.9|-4.8|-3.5|-4.1|2.0|1.9|4.0|3.0|0.1|-1.9|-4.6|-4.5|-7.9
1998|-5.2|-5.4|-1.4|-5.5|1.3|1.5|5.4|3.5|2.2|-1.2|-4.8|-3.9|-5.5
1997|-6.8|-3.4|-4.6|-3.5|-1.6|0.9|5.4|4.5|2.4|-1.8|-3.1|-5.8|-6.8
1996|-7.7|-6.5|-4.0|-5.4|-3.7|1.7|2.2|2.7|0.9|-0.7|-5.7|-7.1|-7.7
1995|-3.6|-4.1|-4.6|-3.5|-2.5|0.1|3.1|3.3|-0.3|-1.1|-6.5|-13.3|-13.3
1994|-6.0|-7.0|-3.3|-1.8|-1.5|1.6|3.1|2.2|1.6|-2.4|-2.3|-3.7|-7.0
1993|-2.8|-5.6|-5.8|-2.9|-2.0|2.6|3.9|-1.1|-0.4|-6.0|-6.9|-7.4|-7.4
1992|-6.5|-6.0|-3.2|-3.2|-0.2|3.0|4.4|1.7|-1.2|-5.5|-5.0|-8.3|-8.3
1991|-8.0|-13.0|-4.7|-2.5|-1.5|-1.5|5.6|2.2|-1.0|-0.6|-4.5|-5.4|-13.0
1990|-2.0|-4.3|-2.4|-4.6|1.7|3.6|3.6|7.0|-0.3|1.4|-5.4|-5.1|-5.4
1989|-4.0|-5.2|-4.4|-4.4|0.0|0.7|3.7|3.0|2.4|1.5|-7.0|-7.0|-7.0
1988|-2.8|-4.5|-3.8|-1.9|-0.3|3.0|6.3|4.4|-0.1|-2.2|-6.9|-1.5|-6.9
1987|-8.9|-7.3|-6.3|-2.8|0.7|1.7|4.6|2.6|-1.0|-4.0|-4.3|-7.1|-8.9
1986|-7.1|-8.6|-9.7|-7.0|-1.3|0.4|4.2|1.1|-1.8|-1.6|-4.3|-5.0|-9.7
1985|-9.5|-7.1|-5.8|-4.0|-2.2|1.5|4.5|3.9|0.0|-1.6|-6.4|-8.1|-9.5
1984|-10.0|-6.6|-5.5|-3.9|-1.8|0.2|2.0|4.2|-0.4|-2.9|-5.2|-5.5|-10.0
1983|-5.0|-6.9|-3.5|-5.4|-1.8|2.7|3.8|3.4|0.2|-4.7|-6.4|-6.0|-6.9
1982|-14.6|-5.2|-4.1|-3.0|-3.2|2.2|2.6|1.0|-0.3|-1.7|-4.5|-6.5|-14.6
1981|-4.0|-5.9|-2.3|-3.2|-2.5|1.3|3.7|2.5|1.6|-5.1|-3.2|-12.9|-12.9
1980|-8.1|-6.3|-7.5|-2.5|-2.0|1.4|3.5|0.7|1.2|-2.3|-6.1|-7.1|-8.1
1979|-18.8|-9.7|-9.0|-6.5|-5.6|0.5|3.5|1.0|-1.8|-2.7|-6.0|-5.5|-18.8
1978|-5.6|-10.0|-4.4|-3.8|-1.2|0.3|4.1|4.1|0.5|-0.5|-6.5|-7.1|-10.0
1977|-9.0|-5.0|-4.4|-3.1|-2.6|0.4|3.4|2.3|-0.9|0.0|-7.4|-6.5|-9.0


Data comes from Met Éireann.

sryanbruen

This is every ice day (temperature does not get above 0c all day) that Kilkenny (its records began in 1957) has recorded. The station was closed in April 2008.

Date|Maximum temperature|Minimum temperature
20 Dec 1992|-0.3|-6.4
7 Feb 1991|-0.2|-2.6
13 Jan 1987|-3.6|-6.2
12 Jan 1987|-2.2|-6.5
12 Feb 1985|-0.2|-4.8
18 Jan 1985|-0.2|-5.3
17 Jan 1985|-1.3|-7.0
12 Jan 1982|-1.1|-13.4
10 Jan 1982|-0.6|-5.4
9 Jan 1982|-0.2|-2.2
15 Feb 1979|-1.6|-5.7
1 Jan 1979|-1.3|-13.4
12 Jan 1977|-1.0|-5.2
17 Jan 1973|-0.1|-3.9
9 Dec 1970|-0.3|-4.6
12 Dec 1969|-2.1|-6.3
20 Jan 1963|-0.2|-5.5
12 Jan 1963|-0.2|-9.3
2 Jan 1962|-1.1|-8.0
13 Jan 1959|-2.3|-5.9


*The maximum temperature for 13 December 1969 in contrast to the 12th at Kilkenny was 9.1c with a morning low of -7.4c.

Data comes from Met Éireann.

Cork Boy 53

sryanbruen wrote: »

This is every ice day (temperature does not get above 0c all day) that Kilkenny (its records began in 1957) has recorded. The station was closed in April 2008.

Date|Maximum temperature|Minimum temperature
20 Dec 1992|-0.3|-6.4
7 Feb 1991|-0.2|-2.6
13 Jan 1987|-3.6|-6.2
12 Jan 1987|-2.2|-6.5
12 Feb 1985|-0.2|-4.8
18 Jan 1985|-0.2|-5.3
17 Jan 1985|-1.3|-7.0
12 Jan 1982|-1.1|-13.4
10 Jan 1982|-0.6|-5.4
9 Jan 1982|-0.2|-2.2
15 Feb 1979|-1.6|-5.7
1 Jan 1979|-1.3|-13.4
12 Jan 1977|-1.0|-5.2
17 Jan 1973|-0.1|-3.9
9 Dec 1970|-0.3|-4.6
12 Dec 1969|-2.1|-6.3
20 Jan 1963|-0.2|-5.5
12 Jan 1963|-0.2|-9.3
2 Jan 1962|-1.1|-8.0
13 Jan 1959|-2.3|-5.9


*The maximum temperature for 13 December 1969 in contrast to the 12th at Kilkenny was 9.1c with a morning low of -7.4c.

Data comes from Met Éireann.

Why was the Kilkenny station closed do you know? Cutbacks or were there other reasons?

sryanbruen

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

Why was the Kilkenny station closed do you know? Cutbacks or were there other reasons?

Don't know reasons but the Kilkenny station was replaced by Carlow (Oak Park).

On the 2nd page of the April 2008 monthly weather bulletin, you can see a feature on 4 weather stations being closed in that month and some of their extremes.

https://cli.fusio.net/cli/bulletin/monsums/clim-2008-Apr.pdf

sryanbruen

Doing Summer 1975 today which was quite an interesting Summer. It was also one of the best of the 20th century. However, a lot of people tend to forget about this season because it was followed by the granddaddy of hot Summers in 1976. Summer 1975 was excellent and it's sad how forgotten it tends to be.

Using the Summer Index for Armagh Observatory, June 1975 was the 10th best month from 1880 to 1979. I'm surprised August 1975 is not within there. You can find other ranked months with their index at this station in my post here along with how the index works: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=106736294&postcount=421

I have generated this graph of Irish stations' daily maximum temperatures for Summer 1975 using Met Éireann's historical data and as you can see, plenty of 20c+ days. Going by the peaks in temperature, you can see that there were multiple warm spells or interludes through the season after a very cool start to June in the first 3-4 days with maximum temperatures widely of only 11-13c. In early August, temperatures surpassed 30c in parts. Three stations that did so were Kilkenny, Carlow (Oak Park) and Casement Aerodrome which had maximums of 30.5c, 31.0c and 30.5c respectively on August 3rd. Ballybrittas, Co. Laois recorded a maximum of 31.5c on the same day which had set a new August record for Ireland and this would be later equalled at Carlow (Oak Park) on August 2nd 1995, 20 years later.



Provisional IMTs for Summer 1975 were:

|June|July|August
IMT for Summer 1975|14.1|17.0|16.7
Average for Summer months|13.7|15.4|15.4


June was a very dry month with it being the driest June since 1942 and for some, the driest on record. The period May 14 to June 30 1975 was almost completely dry for parts of the midlands and east with barely any rainfall. Lots of sunshine and warm days in the latter part of June combined with the ongoing drought gave rise to high rates of evapotranspiration and this led to a serious depletion of soil moisture. Growth of crops were poor as a
consequence.

The month's IMT would be much higher if it were not for the cool nights at times under the light winds and clear skies. Birr's overnight temperature of -0.3c on the 1st June was the lowest for June since 1962. At this same time, snow took place over localised parts of Ireland but it was much more impactful over the UK especially on the 2nd.

Braemar, Scotland had a maximum temperature of just 6.6c on the 2nd with an overnight minimum of -3.3c at Gleneagles, Scotland. The grass minimum got down to -5.0c at Balmoral, Scotland. At Edinburgh, the maximum was 9.8c. The daily CET for the 2nd June 1975 was 8.1c which was the coldest June day since 1816. The daily CET for the 31st May was even colder at 7.1c which in that year was the coldest day since the 10th April. -5.1c was the minimum at Carnwath on May 31st which was a new record for that date.

From UK Met Office:

Southern counties of England had a mainly dry night with clear spells. Elsewhere, it was a cloud night with outbreaks of rain, sleet or snow. Clearer weather with showers quickly pushed into western Scotland after midnight and spread south and eastwards into parts of Northern Ireland and northwest England by dawn. Showers affected many northern and western areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland during the morning. At the same time a band of rain, with some sleet or snow in places, across the Midlands quickly pushed south to lie across southern counties of England by midday. Eastern Scotland continued to see a good deal of cloud and wet weather and this slowly pushed south into parts of northeast England during the morning. The afternoon saw the cloud and rain, with some sleet or snow in places, across southern England clear away into the English Channel. Much of the country then had a mixture of sunshine and showers, some of the showers were wintry in nature with sleet and snow especially across northern areas but not exclusively so. Snow showers were reported as far south as the London area. Eastern Scotland and northeast England had a wet afternoon with rain, sleet and occasional snow at times which continued well into the evening. Elsewhere, the showers slowly turned lighter and more scattered during the evening with most places dry by midnight. Winds were light to moderate across eastern England but a fresh to strong northerly wind affected many western areas of the United Kingdom
It was a cold day for the beginning of June everywhere with temperatures well below the seasonable average.

Sleet and snow were reported in East Anglia and the Midlands and even penetrated as far south as the London area. This was the first time since 1888 that snow and sleet had been reported as widely so far south during the summer. Several county cricket matches were abandoned due to snow, the most notable were between Essex and Kent at Castle Park, Colchester and between Derbyshire and Lancashire at Buxton. Strong to gale force winds,
occasionally severe on coasts, occurred in Scotland and Northern Ireland with many places reporting gusts in excess of 40 knots.

Here's some pictures of the snow on June 2nd 1975.







This was an exceptional event in June 1975! It has a return period of around 250 years much like the Great Storm of October 1987. Remember this fun fact I told you that showed just how exceptional the cold was for the time of year and the snow:

If it weren't for the first 4 days of June 1975, the Summer CET would be 17.3c instead of 16.9c. The season stands as the 13th warmest Summer on record with 16.9c but if it were 17.3c, it would be the 5th warmest Summer on record. Must be the warmest Summer on record to have snow falling during it!

By the weekend following the snow and cold, it turned much warmer! In fact, temperatures widely got into the 20s with some getting up to 25-27c. Highest temperatures I can find in Ireland from June 6th-11th:

Station|Date|Maximum temperature
Kilkenny|11 June|26.1
Carlow (Oak Park)|11 June|26.0
Casement Aerodrome|11 June|25.2
Mullingar|8 June|25.1
Birr|8 June|25.0
Kilkenny|10 June|25.0


There was a cooler interlude from the 14th-18th when there was some rain in parts especially out to the west though as I already said, some of the midlands and east had barely any rain from May 14 to June 30 1975. It became warmer again afterwards and this continued into July with places in the midlands had over two consecutive weeks of each day successfully reaching at least 20c.

July 1975 was a rather more unsettled month generally especially to the south though this was mostly down to a violent thunderstorm that struck on the 10th down there. The midlands and east continued to be exceptionally dry. Birr had its driest May to July period on record. Sunshine was average for July. There was a cooler spell between the 20th and 25th when maximum temperatures went down to the mid teens compared to the high teens and low 20s which much of July brought, in gusty northwesterly winds.

August was another dry and warm month. It got off to a hot start with the temperatures I've named above and on my graph, you can definitely see them by the large peak at the beginning of August. The month again produced many days of at least 20c for stations but there were also some short cool spells to compensate. It was the warmest August since 1955 and the driest since 1947. Sunshine tended to be on the more variable side with the north and west being duller than average but the east was very sunny.

Summer 1975 had a lot in it, snow, heat including 30c, blue skies, thunderstorms, drought. Think it would be a favoured season among weather enthusiasts especially in this day and age.

Monthly sunshine totals (hours) for Irish stations for May to August 1975.

Station|May|June|July|August
Belmullet|289.6|205.9|133.2|150.8
Casement Aerodrome|242.0|236.3|151.1|171.5
Claremorris|247.8|207.9|125.8|125.8
Cork Airport|240.2|213.7|158.3|145.1
Dublin Airport|255.8|253.7|165.6|182.7
Malin Head|287.5|202.2|157.2|108.0
Mullingar|253.5|220.7|159.7|166.3
Shannon Airport|255.1|220.2|144.5|138.0
Valentia Observatory|244.8|211.0|146.4|143.2


*May 1975 was Scotland's sunniest month on record with 329 hours being recorded at Tiree this month.

Remember that the June 1975 snow was preceded by the exceptionally mild Winter and the cold October of 1974. October 1974 was colder than December.



Data comes from Met Éireann and the UK Met Office.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/binaries/content/assets/mohippo/pdf/s/l/snow_in_june_-_2_june_1975.pdf
http://www.trevorharley.com/weather_web_pages/1975_weather.htm
http://www.dandantheweatherman.com/Bereklauw/latesnow.html
http://edepositireland.ie/bitstream/handle/2262/70971/Agromet%20Bull%207506.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
http://edepositireland.ie/bitstream/handle/2262/70972/Agromet%20Bull%207507.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
http://edepositireland.ie/bitstream/handle/2262/70973/Agromet%20Bull%207508.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-long-odd-summers-snow-in-june-411705
http://www.markvoganweather.com/2015/06/02/a-taste-of-winter-in-early-summer-but-at-least-its-not-1975/
http://www.itv.com/news/central/2015-06-02/waiting-for-summer-to-start-it-was-much-worse-in-1975/
https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/wea.200257811

sryanbruen

This is every ice day (temperature does not get above 0c all day) that Mullingar (its records began in 1950 but Met Éireann historical data only shows back to 1973) has recorded. The observations at the station became automatic in April 2008.

Date|Maximum temperature|Minimum temperature
1 Mar 2018|-0.8|-5.1
28 Feb 2018|-0.5|-4.8
24 Dec 2010|-3.4|-12.2
23 Dec 2010|-1.1|-7.3
22 Dec 2010|-2.5|-8.7
21 Dec 2010|-4.8|-13.4
20 Dec 2010|-4.9|-11.3
18 Dec 2010|-2.2|-10.1
8 Dec 2010|-0.8|-9.9
6 Dec 2010|-0.1|-3.2
1 Dec 2010|-0.6|-5.5
9 Jan 2010|-0.2|-9.8
7 Jan 2010|-1.7|-7.8
24 Dec 2009|-0.7|-7.3
30 Dec 2000|-1.8|-7.3
29 Dec 2000|-1.4|-8.0
28 Dec 2000|-1.0|-7.2
27 Dec 1995|-1.2|-8.6
20 Dec 1992|-0.3|-7.4
7 Feb 1991|-0.7|-3.0
13 Jan 1987|-3.4|-7.4
12 Jan 1987|-3.2|-6.9
29 Dec 1985|-0.5|-5.1
12 Feb 1985|-0.1|-3.9
17 Jan 1985|-1.6|-4.7
16 Jan 1985|-0.2|-6.2
10 Jan 1982|-1.3|-4.7
9 Jan 1982|-0.5|-2.2
8 Jan 1982|-0.3|-1.8
12 Dec 1981|-2.7|-12.4
11 Dec 1981|-0.2|-10.2
9 Dec 1981|-0.8|-7.9
15 Feb 1979|-0.6|-5.8
2 Jan 1979|-0.3|-14.6
1 Jan 1979|-2.1|-14.9
31 Dec 1978|-1.8|-7.6
12 Jan 1977|-2.8|-6.8


Data comes from Met Éireann.

sryanbruen

https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/991690021022281728

Cork Boy 53

sryanbruen wrote: »

https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/991690021022281728

A tad over optimistic I would think.

Artane2002

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

A tad over optimistic I would think.

No it's actually looking very possible. It reached 29C last time but the models underestimated it by around 3C. I think you already know this but in case you didn't, the near record-breaking temperature tweet was referring to the UK.

sryanbruen

How crappy does May Day weather tend to be? Here's how the day has fared weather wise in Ireland in recent times.

1st May 2017: Starting off fairly cloudy with some rain clearing to the UK but becoming very sunny. Staying cool on a brisk northeasterly wind but warmer out to the west. Highs between 13-16c generally.

2nd May 2016: Cool and very unsettled with gusty westerly winds. Scattered showers but also lots of sunny spells. Highs between only 12-14c mostly.

4th May 2015: Moderate southwesterly winds with sunny spells but some showers out to the west. Rain pushing into the south by the evening. Highs between 12-16c.

5th May 2014: Light rain for most places with plenty of overcast skies. Fairly windy southerly winds with highs between 12-17c.

6th May 2013: Some showery rain out to the west on a moderate southwesterly wind. Some good sunny spells to the east with highs between 12-17c mostly but getting up to 19c locally in the east.

7th May 2012: Heavy rain pushing northwards during the morning and leaving sunny spells with showers behind it. These showers were associated with hail and thunder. Highs between only 9-15c.

2nd May 2011: Very wet to the south with some heavy downpours along with a lot of cloud here. However, elsewhere it was very sunny with lots of sunshine and temperatures mostly between 14-19c but in the south around only 11-14c in a gusty easterly airstream. This was typical of the first 3 days of May 2011 with the south getting the bad end of the stick.

3rd May 2010: Dry and sunny. Very quiet and anticyclonic but a light northerly wind giving away to cool conditions. Highs between 10-14c.

4th May 2009: Mostly dry but cloudy. Some rain in the north becoming persistent into Tuesday. Highs between 11-15c.

5th May 2008: Some cloud and mist along eastern and southern coasts. Otherwise, a very sunny and warm day with temperatures between 14-20c. Struggling around 12 or 13c in the cloud.

7th May 2007: Very windy with plenty of showers but also lots of sunny spells here and there. Highs between 13-18c.

1st May 2006: Some showers out to the west but mostly dry and sunny with temperatures between 11-14c so slightly below par for the time of year in light northwesterly winds.

2nd May 2005: Showery outbreaks of rain to the northwest and southeast of the country with a window of clearer weather in between. Moderate southerly winds giving away to highs between 12-18c.

3rd May 2004: Light northwesterly winds with sunshine and showers. More general band of rain pushing into the west during the evening as the winds back to a southwesterly. Highs between 10-16c.

5th May 2003: Heavy showers out to the west with some hail added into the mix. Long sunny periods to the south and east where it was mainly dry. Temperatures between 10-14c.

6th May 2002: Rather cloudy and cool to the east exposed to the northeasterly wind but fairly warm and sunny elsewhere. Temperatures in the east around only 10-12c but between 14-18c mostly.

7th May 2001: Frosty overnight clearing to very sunny conditions throughout the day and temperatures rising fast in the sun up to 15-18c though cooler to the north around 11-14c.

1st May 2000: Isolated shower to the west but dry throughout otherwise with prolonged sunny periods. Temperatures between 14-19c but in places such as Shannon Airport or the midlands, getting up to 22c in the sunshine.

Information originally from Met Éireann.

So the only instances in the 21st century so far to reach at least 20c on May Day were 2008 and 2011 (2000 is considered 20th century). A bit funny how the first two May Days of this list were the best of the entire thing and have not been bettered since though 2008 and 2011 (with the exception of the south) were also very good.

sryanbruen

May Day 2001 (which was also a 7 May just like 2018). Seems similar to the 2018 outlook. Not to mention, 2001. Wonder where I've seen that year appear before?

sryanbruen

According to the flood maps from the new site in the link below, my area had a flood event in November 1982. This month was notably wetter than average across a large majority of the country with it being the wettest November since 1970. Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo had up to 200% of its average November rainfall with a monthly rainfall total of 209.8mm whilst Casement Aerodrome, Co. Dublin had 186% of its average November rainfall with a monthly rainfall total of 126.3mm.

Looking at the Dublin stations rainfall totals, I think the flooding event (since the link below doesn't give a specific date) occurred on the 6th November 1982.

Station|Rainfall total (mm)
Dublin Airport|55.1
Casement Aerodrome|42.9
Kinsealy|31.3
Phoenix Park|25.9


*Phoenix Park had 32.2mm of rainfall on the 5th November.

Data comes from Met Éireann.

http://www.floodinfo.ie/map/floodmaps/







We would not see floods like this in Dublin in the month of November again 'til 2000. I could not find any pictures on the event sorry. It was Grange Road that was specifically affected by the worst of the flooding according to the maps above.

sryanbruen

This is every 25mm+ wet day that Dublin Airport has recorded since its records began in 1942. There's going to be a lot here so bare with the post. I thought 25mm was a good starting mark for this considering it's Dublin Airport, one of the driest stations in the entire country. It's going to be like my ice day posts that I've been doing.

I will do Valentia Observatory next but of course the list will be even larger than Dublin Airport's one here. Should I raise the criteria higher for its list or do the same as Dublin Airport?

If you'd like me to do a specific post on any of the very wet days, ask me. I'm definitely going to do December 1954.

If you're on a desktop, you can see the days from wettest to driest out of this list. Simply press on the rainfall total tab of the table and the totals will be put into numerical order, forwards and backwards. Press the tab again for backwards.

Date|Rainfall total (mm)
22 Nov 2017|52.0
14 Aug 2017|40.0
11 Apr 2016|38.7
9 Jan 2016|25.6
12 Dec 2015|38.9
3 Dec 2015|31.7
23 Aug 2015|33.5
13 Nov 2014|30.9
10 Aug 2014|27.6
2 Aug 2014|84.0
16 Oct 2013|25.4
18 Jan 2013|29.4
24 Sep 2012|37.9
24 Oct 2011|69.1
1 Oct 2011|44.8
30 Dec 2009|28.4
29 Nov 2009|34.7
1 Nov 2009|25.4
2 Jul 2009|42.4
6 Jun 2009|31.1
3 Feb 2009|29.2
5 Sep 2008|43.5
9 Aug 2008|76.2
5 Jul 2008|33.5
30 Mar 2008|26.0
3 Jun 2007|30.1
15 Nov 2006|29.7
25 Oct 2006|25.1
28 Jul 2005|32.6
18 Aug 2004|32.8
22 Oct 2003|47.2
30 Jun 2003|34.0
29 Dec 2002|32.4
14 Nov 2002|74.6
20 Oct 2002|51.0
11 Oct 2002|35.9
17 May 2002|49.6
17 Apr 2002|31.2
7 Oct 2001|33.4
8 Dec 2000|26.6
6 Nov 2000|32.6
5 Nov 2000|41.2
5 Aug 1999|35.7
30 Sep 1998|32.8
20 Jun 1997|30.6
19 Nov 1996|43.4
6 Aug 1996|41.5
28 Nov 1995|27.5
26 Nov 1995|33.3
16 Jul 1995|39.0
25 Jan 1995|28.4
15 May 1994|25.6
5 Oct 1993|44.6
11 Jun 1993|92.6
26 May 1993|42.6
22 Aug 1992|26.4
2 Jun 1992|26.1
15 Oct 1990|47.2
4 Jul 1990|32.3
28 Jul 1988|28.9
21 Oct 1987|47.5
31 Oct 1986|26.6
25 Aug 1986|60.2
5 Aug 1986|32.4
26 Jul 1985|26.1
14 Dec 1984|27.9
2 Aug 1984|26.4
6 Nov 1982|55.1
22 Jun 1982|27.5
13 Dec 1981|29.7
1 Oct 1981|33.4
24 Apr 1981|26.2
21 Sep 1980|35.4
7 Jul 1980|29.4
21 Jan 1980|30.3
19 Jan 1980|29.1
1 Feb 1979|31.3
5 Aug 1978|30.3
24 Aug 1977|28.9
27 Sep 1976|34.5
25 Sep 1976|31.5
24 Sep 1976|30.4
17 Sep 1975|40.9
2 Sep 1974|34.8
28 Dec 1972|32.7
12 Nov 1972|31.6
24 Jul 1971|25.7
18 Mar 1971|35.7
6 Nov 1970|27.1
12 Apr 1970|26.2
3 Nov 1969|25.6
10 Sep 1969|27.2
24 Dec 1968|41.7
16 Aug 1968|35.0
8 Jan 1968|25.8
17 Sep 1967|29.9
14 Jul 1967|34.8
22 Feb 1967|28.1
13 Aug 1966|27.5
9 Jun 1966|46.6
1 Apr 1966|26.2
15 Feb 1966|25.6
10 Jan 1966|27.2
25 Nov 1965|39.6
16 Nov 1965|44.5
16 Aug 1963|53.5
26 Sep 1962|31.1
28 Sep 1961|31.9
20 Jan 1961|26.9
27 Oct 1960|31.3
2 Oct 1960|46.1
10 Jul 1960|28.6
18 Mar 1960|27.3
13 Nov 1959|35.1
17 Oct 1959|31.6
10 Oct 1959|32.6
21 May 1959|28.9
15 Sep 1958|26.1
7 Jun 1958|29.9
23 May 1958|27.2
25 Sep 1957|25.0
12 Aug 1957|27.1
25 Dec 1956|28.9
21 Aug 1955|54.4
4 Jun 1955|28.4
8 Dec 1954|49.0
17 Aug 1954|26.6
2 May 1954|25.0
3 Dec 1953|27.2
9 Aug 1952|30.5
4 Nov 1951|32.5
25 Oct 1949|53.4
7 Aug 1949|32.4
4 Jan 1949|27.9
4 Jan 1948|33.1
5 Dec 1947|52.4
16 Sep 1947|28.9
4 Jun 1947|25.3
21 Apr 1947|29.4
16 Mar 1947|34.9
2 Feb 1947|27.7
20 Sep 1946|35.1
12 Aug 1946|38.4
8 Feb 1946|34.9
16 Jul 1945|32.8
28 Sep 1942|32.8
17 May 1942|26.7


*2 Feb 1947's precipitation was largely of heavy snow.

Years without a daily rainfall of at least 25mm at Dublin Airport: 1943, 1944, 1950, 1964, 1973, 1983, 1989, 1991, 2010.

Data comes from Met Éireann.

Artane2002

I knew 22 November 2017 was very wet but I didn't think it was that wet!

sryanbruen

Artane2002 wrote: »

I knew 22 November 2017 was very wet but I didn't think it was that wet!

That day seemed like a normal wet day here and nothing out of the ordinary in comparison to what the stats showed. I'll tell ya one day that comes to my mind as being exceptionally wet, 18 November 2015. That morning had monsoonal type rainfall. I'm not even kidding. Rainfall rates succeeding 50-60mm/hr. It was mental. Everywhere was flooded within a few minutes and I had to go to school in it driving in the car.

A student in my school went on his bike as usual that morning to the school but as it was drenching, he got soaked. His coat became unwearable, it was that extreme.

The stats show around totals of only 10-15mm but I swear, it felt like a lot more than that especially considering how it produced flooding in such a short period of time.

If you look at the GFS 0z on 18 November 2015, the rain doesn't even seem that heavy in Dublin. I remember not being warned about the rainfall and instead being warned about the winds caused by Storm Barney which had affected Ireland on 17 November 2015.



I will not forget that day. The stats truly hide what it was like.

Artane2002

I don't remember that day. All I remember was an orange warning for here for Storm Barney.

I'm not sure if this is the exact day but I think the 14th of November 2013 felt extremely wet but obviously it's not as wet as I think it was going by the statistics. I remember we had to walk for 10 mins to get the bus to go swimming in Sportslink and we were absolutely drenched. It was an awful day.

I also remember the 3rd of December 2015. That was very wet but I actually enjoyed it. I remember 14 August 2017 too.

Edit: Sorry, that was 13 November 2014 and that did make your list.

sryanbruen

Artane2002 wrote: »

I don't remember that day. All I remember was an orange warning for here for Storm Barney.

I'm not sure if this is the exact day but I think the 14th of November 2013 felt extremely wet but obviously it's not as wet as I think it was going by the statistics. I remember we had to walk for 10 mins to get the bus to go swimming in Sportslink and we were absolutely drenched. It was an awful day.

I also remember the 3rd of December 2015. That was very wet but I actually enjoyed it. I remember 14 August 2017 too.

Edit: Sorry, that was 13 November 2014 and that did make your list.

I'm really not kidding about how wet that day, 18 November 2015, was in the morning hours here in Dublin. Artane, Clontarf and Fairview had some severe floods for a few hours as I drove in them to school.

Looking at the 18 November 2015 winds thread, Iancar29 and DOCARCH reported similar conditions: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057523946&page=2.

I loved November 2014, felt like endless downpours! My 14th birthday, 11 November, that month was soaking too. 6 November was lashing, 11 November was lashing, 13 November was lashing, 14 November was lashing, 21 November was lashing.

November 2014 doesn't really get talked about much (probably because it was followed by November and December 2015) but boy did it have some flooding!

https://twitter.com/CllrMcGuinness/status/532918187101523968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thejournal.ie%2Fweather-flooding-dublin-area-1777455-Nov2014%2F&tfw_creator=PTHosford&tfw_site=thejournal_ie

Artane2002

I'm shocked that I can't remember November 18 2015 if it affected my area like that. I'm not great at remembering Irish weather unless it's something like snow or wind. The earliest weather memories I have of Ireland is Winter 2009-10.

I love November very much, it's my favourite month of the year when we're talking about weather, I actually love cold, sunny, windy and showery days in November. The main reason why I generally prefer November over winter is because November was better than December or January for wintry weather recently, until 2017-18 of course. I've mentioned November 2016 a good few times now... I remember more snow showers that November than December. I still think those days with very low temperatures at the end of the month are memorable and I don't think I'll forget them anytime soon.

nacho libre

Is it a myth that good weather in May tends to mean crappy summers follow?

sryanbruen

nacho libre wrote: »

Is it a myth that good weather in May tends to mean crappy summers follow?

Totally a myth, it means nothing. Summer 1989 which contained the hottest July of the 20th century in Ireland was preceded by one of the best Mays of all-time. May 1989 was very warm, very dry AND very sunny! Just as one example.

sryanbruen

Artane2002 wrote: »

I'm shocked that I can't remember November 18 2015 if it affected my area like that. I'm not great at remembering Irish weather unless it's something like snow or wind. The earliest weather memories I have of Ireland is Winter 2009-10.

I love November very much, it's my favourite month of the year when we're talking about weather, I actually love cold, sunny, windy and showery days in November. The main reason why I generally prefer November over winter is because November was better than December or January for wintry weather recently, until 2017-18 of course. I've mentioned November 2016 a good few times now... I remember more snow showers that November than December. I still think those days with very low temperatures at the end of the month are memorable and I don't think I'll forget them anytime soon.

November would be my favourite if it weren't for school. :rolleyes:

But hey, it is the month of my birthday after all and of course, my top 2 favourite snow days were in the month, 27th and 28th November 2010.

You really seem to love November 2016.

I didn't get any snow in November 2016 unfortunately, all rain. But that anticyclonic end to the month (as well as some of the days in the first week) that went on for like two weeks with plenty of cold, crisp days was amazing and what an end to a great Autumn continuing into Winter with -5c on December 1st. But sadly, it all ended a few days after. In fact, we went up to 15c on December 7th.

November 2017 was excellent too if you ask me.

nacho libre wants me to do a post on the severe Winters of 1683/84 and 1739/40. You thought 1962-63 was cold? Oh oh, you ain't seen nothing yet. The former especially was a mad Winter and was the coldest Winter of the entire CET series (back to 1659).

Artane2002

I think there was snow on the 16th or 17th of November 2016. It was a Thursday anyway. Those last few days of November 2010 were also my favourite snow days along with late February/early March 2018. Storm Emma was frustrating for me because it looked as if it was raining but it wasn't and the massive water droplets on the windows bugged me.

I can't wait for your report on those two winters!

nacho libre

Same. Thanks Sryan. It's just a pity more people don't post on this thread. By the way winter 2018/19 is going to rival 1739/40:D

Oneiric 3

Artane2002 wrote: »

I love November very much, it's my favourite month of the year when we're talking about weather.

Same as. November is the month that confirms that the glaring heat of summer has passed. Second fave month, oddly enough, would be May. Everything is coming into bloom and it never really gets too hot.

Oneiric 3

nacho libre wrote: »

Same. Thanks Sryan. It's just a pity more people don't post on this thread. By the way winter 2018/19 is going to rival 1739/40:D

I have a strange feeling that you might be right! I also have a hunch that we are in for a very warm to hot summer, a hunch that I hope proves to be wrong!

sryanbruen

Winter 1683-84 was the coldest Winter of the CET series which goes back to 1659. There is little data available on the season because it was such a long time ago. The CET was -1.17c. The CET for 1962-63 in comparison, since we're all aware of how cold 1962-63 was, -0.33c so 1683-84 was almost one full degree colder than 1962-63.

The monthly CETs for both seasons as a comparison.

Year|December|January|February
1683-84|0.5|-3.0|-1.0
1962-63|1.8|-2.1|-0.7


Notice how both seasons have two consecutive months of CETs below 0c? These were two of the four instances that has happened. The other two being 1739/40 and 1878/79.

January 1684 was the second coldest on record behind 1795 (the coldest month on record) which had a CET of -3.1c. February 1684 was the sixth coldest on record. December 1683 was the equal eleventh coldest on record (equal tenth before 2010).

Unfortunately, the daily CET series does not go back to the Winter of 1683-84.

The season became infamously known as the "Great Frost" in the UK. Why so? The season had the worst frost reported in the history of the British Isles. The surface of the River Thames was completely frozen for a period of two months to the depth of one foot. The ice reached a thickness of 11 inches (28 cm) in London. Solid ice was reported extending for miles off the coasts of southern North Sea causing severe problems for shipping and preventing the use of many harbours. Near Manchester, the ground was frozen to 27 inches (69 cm) to more than 4 feet (1.2 m).

The great frost enabled the residents to behold the River Thames frost fair. English writer, John Evelyn (1620 to 1706), described this frost fair as:

Coaches plied from Westminster to the Temple, and from several other stairs too and fro, as in the streets; sleds, sliding with skeetes, a bull-baiting, horse and coach races, puppet plays and interludes, cooks, tipling and other lewd places, so that it seemed to be a bacchanalian triumph, or carnival on the water.

Here's an account on the frost:

On the 20th of December, 1683, a very violent frost began, which lasted to the 6th of February, in so great extremity, that the pools were frozen 18 inches thick at least, and the Thames was so frozen that a great street from the Temple of Southwark was built with shops, and all manner of things sold. Hackney Coaches plied there as in the streets. There were also bull-baiting, and a great many shows and tricks to be seen. This day the frost broke up. In the morning, I saw a coach and six horses driven from Whitehall almost to the bridge yet by three o'clock that day, February the 6th, next to Southwark, the ice was gone, so as boats did row to and fro, and the next day all the frost was gone. On Candlemas Day, I went to Croydon market and led my horse over the ice to the Horseferry from Westminster to Lambeth; as I came back I led him from Lambeth upon the middle of the Thames to Whitefriars' stairs, and so led him up by them. And this day an ox was roasted whole, over against Whitehall. King Charles and the Queen ate part of it.

The last frost fair took place in 1814 because the climate was growing milder and after the old London Bridge being demolished in 1831, it was replaced with a new one with wider arches allowing the tide to flow more freely. The river was embanked in stages during the 19th century which made the river less likely to freeze combining with the ever growing warming climate as solar activity started to go up too. Remember that this Winter of 1683-84 was during the Maunder Minimum period and the Little Ice Age. Unless a massive climatic shift takes place caused by perhaps a grand solar minimum, we are very unlikely to see a frost fair take place on the Thames again!

It is very likely that the UK temperature record of -27.2c (which has been equalled three times in 1895, 1982 and 1995!) would have been beaten in 1683-84. We could be talking temperatures below -30c perhaps during the season. I know, hard to believe right? Ireland would have been also likely but there isn't much information at all on how the season fared here.

Part of the novel, 'Lorna Doone' by R.D. Blackmore, was set in the Winter of 1683-84 and as a result, it's often dubbed the Lorna Doone Winter.



Data comes from the UK Met Office.

There's an in-depth analysis on the season here by English climatologist Gordon Manley: https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/wea.789

mickmackey1

That's the mother and father of all your posts I think Syran, brilliant stuff!

Mobhi1

Were the rivers frozen over in Ireland too?

sryanbruen

Mobhi1 wrote: »

Were the rivers frozen over in Ireland too?

I'm really struggling to find some accounts on Winter 1683-84 for Ireland (been searching all evening) and I've had no luck in doing so I'm afraid. If somebody currently has access to the Irish Newspaper Archive here (since I don't at the moment), perhaps some of them mention that Winter somewhere in any of the issues?

Gordon Manley in his analysis I posted above does mention Dublin for reports on Winter 1683-84:

The Admiralty archives include log-books, which were sometimes kept in ports, from 1669 onward; hence there might well be some reports from Aberdeen or Leith, Liverpool, Plymouth or Dublin for example.

I would think so because they did in 1740 - which I'll discuss about in another post, the second coldest Winter on record. This was then followed by a famine which wiped out some of the Irish population.

Professor Dr. David Dickson did a book on 1740 for Ireland:



If only we had some sort of time machine to go back and see the conditions for ourselves during the season. Although, going by what I've seen here, it would feel like a completely different country.

sryanbruen

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

I have a strange feeling that you might be right! I also have a hunch that we are in for a very warm to hot summer, a hunch that I hope proves to be wrong!

If it means sunshine, sure! If not, then please to god no.

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

Same as. November is the month that confirms that the glaring heat of summer has passed. Second fave month, oddly enough, would be May. Everything is coming into bloom and it never really gets too hot.

I definitely wouldn't have expected May to be one of your favourites.

nacho libre wrote: »

Same. Thanks Sryan. It's just a pity more people don't post on this thread. By the way winter 2018/19 is going to rival 1739/40:D

Not everybody appreciates good ol' hard stats . But seriously, the thread isn't just about the stats as the name suggests. It was originally planned that way by paddy because of my stats ending up in long discussion threads that would then be rarely seen again whilst in this thread, they're all here together. However, I think it's better to have a bit of a mix here instead. I thought adding photos, recollections etc would be a good way of spicing up the thread and making it a bit more exciting!

Hang on, hang on...... now let's take a chill pill* just there.

*No pun intended.

Artane2002 wrote: »

I think there was snow on the 16th or 17th of November 2016. It was a Thursday anyway. Those last few days of November 2010 were also my favourite snow days along with late February/early March 2018. Storm Emma was frustrating for me because it looked as if it was raining but it wasn't and the massive water droplets on the windows bugged me.

I can't wait for your report on those two winters!

Ah yeah. How'd ya feel about Winter 1683-84 after reading about the frost fair on the River Thames ?

There was some snow in parts on the 17th November 2016 yes and it was a Thursday indeed. I just got rain though here but I didn't complain much as it had been an awesome month so far up to that point and it was just going to get better around the corner.