Snow Ice Warning for Ireland 29 Jan to 03 Feb 2019 *See Mod Note in OP *

Rebelbrowser

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

The model soundings have been pretty bang on over the past few days, always showing the marginal setup that has transpired. The precipitation type charts have been pretty useless if you're looking for proper snow. They give an indication that the snowline is lowering, but are no guarantee that it will be low enough. Then we see the pink radar earlier showing extensive area of snow were there was actually an extensive area of rain.

This has been another example of the futility of chasing a northwesterly. Fine, a few convective showers gave a dusting the other day, but invariably the moisture flux over the long sea track does us in time and time again. I get grief from one or two members in the west when I point this out but it is how it is. Basing hopes on flawed charts leads to chasing of tails. Roll on an easterly or northeasterly, where the flawed charts may actually be right for once.

By the way, the GFS P seems not much better than its senile older brother, sharing the same cold bias that seems to run in that family.

Without disagreeing too much with the sentiment, you do underplay what these set ups can deliver for Connaught and Munster. Lots of the country got more than a dusting on Tuesday night.

TTLF

Even if this event was good for some and bad for others, even if I didn't get any proper snow myself, I still really enjoyed this event and the whole "Nowcast" scenario hearing of where snow was, and where it wasn't. Seeing my friend get a dumping on the Isle of Wight streamer, and my other friend only get a small snow shower. Also inputting my temperature and nowcast weather made it a very enjoyable day on the boards.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this exciting thread!

pauldry

I never get sick of the weather even if the charts are always wrong. Weather and everything about it completely fascinates me from a dam line to a wisp of cloud to dank continuous mildness. Its always different everyday even on days that seem the same. Its always more moderated than predicted though an odd time not. But I do think that Met Eireann would do well to listen to some of the predictions on this forum by more experienced members. The Met forecast is very good but sometimes not up to scratch and it says a lot that I look for longer range forecasts here before I check Met any day. I look at theirs for the weather today. Their weather for the following days keeps changing whereas here the trend is our friend

no.8

Rougies wrote:

In fairness, anything substantial was on higher ground as is usually the case. For this whole event, nothing more than a dusting was recorded below 100m.

Well that's incorrect if you include Tuesday.

nacho libre

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

Returning polar maritime air, recycled over and over, just does not cut it.

For you it does not cut it, but others in the country have had one to two inches of snow in the last couple of days. So really it can be distilled to (a) what your expectations are, and (b) your location. Returning polar maritime air does not cut it for eastern and southern areas, but places further north and west can do ok out of them, but, like i said, if you are expecting dry powder snow, that leads to significant accumulations in eastern and southern area, then they are a bust

hawkwing

Snowing heavily, SE Tipp 150m asl. 0.5c

TTLF

Now it's time for the freeze....

Nvm the dry easterly wind dried up all the wet cars and paths within an hour in Dublin here... :pac:

Pretzill

Rougies wrote: »

In fairness, anything substantial was on higher ground as is usually the case. For this whole event, nothing more than a dusting or temporary accumulation under heavy precip was recorded below 200m.

There was more than a dusting here - and we still have lying snow (if a little defrosted at the edges)

90m asl Sligo

I too am fascinated by our weather. I love how it's possible to remember weather events year in year with accuracy - because they stand above the normal clement climate. Even in it's blandness December 2018 was different. Grass grew. Daffodils broke ground to flower in January - gorse also flowers now - that is unusual in it's so called blandness - Spring in winter and winter in Spring 2018/19 has already been a satisfying weather year!

Gaoth Laidir

Rebelbrowser wrote: »

Without disagreeing too much with the sentiment, you do underplay what these set ups can deliver for Connaught and Munster. Lots of the country got more than a dusting on Tuesday night.

From what I saw it was pot luck which areas got it to low levels. Many areas got rain. Plenty of showers at Shannon Airport and none was snow. Different story at higher levels of course, and Ulster did OK. Bit Knock didn't accumulate that much and the covering was described as wet snow. When snow does accumulate it doesn't hang around, given its higher moisture content. If there's one thing I hate it's snow accumulation that gets wet soon after forming. Another thing is the cold wet slop we got today. I'd rather stick pins in my eyes.

Anyway, it's only weather. There are plenty more serious things in life

Rougies

no.8 wrote: »

Well that's incorrect if you include Tuesday.

Fair enough, it is incorrect. Tuesday delivered quite well for some areas.

Rougies

Pretzill wrote: »

There was more than a dusting here - and we still have lying snow (if a little defrosted at the edges)

90m asl Sligo

I too am fascinated by our weather. I love how it's possible to remember weather events year in year with accuracy - because they stand above the normal clement climate. Even in it's blandness December 2018 was different. Grass grew. Daffodils broke ground to flower in January - gorse also flowers now - that is unusual in it's so called blandness - Spring in winter and winter in Spring 2018/19 has already been a satisfying weather year!

Apologies, I made a booboo there.

TTLF

Pretzill wrote: »

There was more than a dusting here - and we still have lying snow (if a little defrosted at the edges)

90m asl Sligo

I too am fascinated by our weather. I love how it's possible to remember weather events year in year with accuracy - because they stand above the normal clement climate. Even in it's blandness December 2018 was different. Grass grew. Daffodils broke ground to flower in January - gorse also flowers now - that is unusual in it's so called blandness - Spring in winter and winter in Spring 2018/19 has already been a satisfying weather year!

I would agree, but the constant gray skies of December 2018 just made me sick.
January's high pressure was very bland and constantly cloudy too.

However I do agree, the flowers blooming amd grass growing was quiet a surprise to me.

JanuarySnowstor

Reports of widespread snow in North Cork. With plenty ppn to move south yet. My phone which is usually very accurate dropped from 6C to 3C in about 5minutes

Oneiric 3

mickger844posts wrote: »

I agree the Winter so far bearing in mind we have 1 month left has been bland but since Ophelia in October 2017 we have had many notable events. Historic snow storms in March 2018, A drought and heatwave in Summer 2018. Also Thunderstorms, floods and storms. Hardly boring or uninteresting.

We had a couple of big thunderstorms in the summer, but only limited to SE Leinster and S. Connacht so not all partook. Not all partook in 'Storm Emma' or 'Ophelia', either, the latter of which was probably one of the most overrated and overhyped storms in living memory for much of the country.

Regardless, all those in that list you present still only makes up a very small percentage of the time period between 'Ophelia' and the present. Not having a swipe at you MG884, so don't think that - more just opining my general thoughts.

JanuarySnowstor

Heavy snow now here

FrancieBrady

JanuarySnowstor wrote: »

Heavy snow now here

Ah come on. Where?

TTLF

Here's to February lads, the best month for snow lmao.

Gaoth Laidir

nacho libre wrote: »

For you it does not cut it, but others in the country have had one to two inches of snow in the last couple of days.

Just listen to us, one to two inches! That's a dusting in anyone's language! Last March was a lot more than a dusting. One to two inches in some areas, zero and wet in others, is not something that warrants the level of hype it gets. But maybe I'm just asking for too much.

JanuarySnowstor

Check out cork safety alerts

nacho libre

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

Just listen to us, one to two inches! That's a dusting in anyone's language! Last March was a lot more than a dusting. One to two inches in some areas, zero and wet in others, is not something that warrants the level of hype it gets. But maybe I'm just asking for too much.

QUOTE=Gaoth Laidir;109301162]. When snow does accumulate it doesn't hang around, given its higher moisture content. If there's one thing I hate it's snow accumulation that gets wet soon after forming. [/QUOTE]

Snow in this country does not generally hang around long and is more often than not wet snow. What you wish for ( snow on the ground for several days, courtesy of a north easterly) is not a common occurrence.
We had two days of snow on the ground here, which is typical.

Danno

That front is dying out fast.

nacho libre

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

Just listen to us, one to two inches! That's a dusting in anyone's language! Last March was a lot more than a dusting. One to inches in some areas, zero and wet in others, is not something that warrants the level of hype it gets. But maybe I'm just asking for too much.

I am fully aware that significant accumulations of snow tend to come from north easterly airmasses.
I was not hyping this event. I have realistic expectations of what a polar maritime airmass gives us. I said we could get between 1 - 5 cms this week at lower levels in the north west. That's why I was happy with the covering I got.

Pangea

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

Just listen to us, one to two inches! That's a dusting in anyone's language! Last March was a lot more than a dusting. One to two inches in some areas, zero and wet in others, is not something that warrants the level of hype it gets. But maybe I'm just asking for too much.

A dusting is one or two inches? Get away out of that. Id gladly take it and give it all the hype I want.

Oneiric 3

Don't get me going...

Mr Bumble

Grand stretch in the evening.........

Franz Von Peppercorn

How long did any lying snow lie? A few hours at most anywhere, right?

Pretzill

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

How long did any lying snow lie? A few hours at most anywhere, right?

No, still here. But it didn't snow in other parts and some were disappointed - it seems.

adocholiday

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

How long did any lying snow lie? A few hours at most anywhere, right?

Good few cm still on the ground here in South East Wicklow. Not looking forward to the morning drive!

Franz Von Peppercorn

Pretzill wrote: »

No, still here. But it didn't snow in other parts and some were disappointed - it seems.

Fair enough but the south west was rained on.

The northwest and high ground get snow most years. To be honest I tend to agree with GL, northwesterly driven snow I’d find fairly useless for the east.

So far this winter I’ve had two frosty mornings and some cold nearly sleety rain. Otherwise it’s been wet (November) or dry warm and gloomy.

Not the best. Beats 2015/16 though, so there’s that.

cnocbui

In Tipp, we have had a little bit of



But it seems to be light drizzle now.

(Writ with a purple laser shone on the snow on the paving)