Winter 2021/2022 - General Discussion

Birdnuts

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118597781#Comment_118597781

My biggest fear is that pay back will arrive via a repeat of last May!!:(

Loughc

I think it's time for me to bow out of this thread, it looks like the remaining few weeks of Winter are set to be as much as a write off as the rest of the season was.

I will see ya all again in August for the 2022/23 thread where we all aboard the hype train!

highdef

Bar the most recent of days and the odd day here and there, it's been the most enjoyable winter that I've experienced in a longgggggg time. The amount of calm or almost windless days combined with very few rainy days have allowed me (and probably many thousands of others) to enjoy outdoor tasks and pastimes without being frozen, soaked through, blown around like a rag doll or a combination of two or all three of the aforementioned.

I had planned to get a load of outdoor work done last weekend, around the front of a new house I've bought but Saturday was a complete right-off and I got nothing at all done outside. Was the first time in quite a while that I had planned an outdoor activity that couldn't go ahead due to poor weather which goes to show just how nice and settled it has been.

Although yesterday was technically quite mild for the time of year, the relentless wind and dampness made it feel absolutely horrific and I could not get the heat into me at all, only venturing outside once late yesterday afternoon and even then it was only for ten minutes.

What I yearn for now is a return to calm weather combined with the feeling of real warmth from the sun, now that the sun is gaining a little bit of strength. Once mid February has passed, my interest in any snow falling is pretty dissipated as you need a really decent fall in order to have snow lying for anything more than a few hours. As the sun is getting more powerful, a few cars driving on a measly few centimetres of snow will have it turned to water and slush in no time and it's all just a horrible brown mucky looking mess. Plus with ground temperatures being well above average, this further impedes the ability of anything but a monster snowfall to not melt quickly.

Roll on Spring when the sun can dry out the roads and footpaths following a rainfall, some warmth can be felt when sheltered from any wind and we begin to see some land based convection interspersed with gin blue skies instead slate grey skies.

giveitholly

Could we get a storm next week?

Gonzo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118599223#Comment_118599223

Next week is likely to be properly unsettled with high rainfall totals and a chance of a storm particularly for north-western areas but would need a few more days before we are certain.

Thelonious Monk

I thought it was lovely up until recently when the wind and some rain seems to have come back. I would have enjoyed a bit of snow but it just doesn't happen in Dublin any more and will become less likely as the years go on probably.

No wind today but miserable drizzle on and of in Dublin, still got out for a run, I'd take drizzle over howling wind.

Gonzo

I could be wrong but over the past 10 to 15 years the Atlantic has generally been very warm and this has definitely played a part in our warm winters since the mid 1990s. During the late 70s and 80s the Atlantic was much colder and in a way helped us to get colder weather. Back then cold zonality was good enough to produce snow to lower levels more regularly than it has done over the past 10 to 15 years. Frontal snow was definitely more common around then too. Over the next few years we may begin to see the Atlantic cool down considerably and when it re-enters it's colder phase that is likely to last 10 to 15 years so we could well see a return to the winters of 1970s/1980s at some point over the next 10 years. Despite the terrible run of winters from 1992 to the present, I wouldn't say that cold winters are a thing of the past. It's just unfortunate these cycles take ages to run their course and we've been stuck in the warm phase for almost 20 years.

mcburns07

Climate scientists are saying snow will become even rarer in years to come

esposito

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118602037#Comment_118602037

Some climate scientists are saying that the Gulf Stream could be weakened or cut off entirely at some point in the future with the melting of the Arctic ice caps…. if that happens we certainly won’t have a shortage of snow.

Danno

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118602037#Comment_118602037

Been hearing that since I was a nipper, 2017-18 was the snowiest winter I recall in all of my accumulating years. 2010 was another highlight for the brutal cold and snow.

pauldry

Met Eireann mention the words sleet and snow in their forecast. But theyv done so many other times this year (about 3) and then either removed it or said just for the mountains. In fairness it seems focused on the mountains this time too.

Gonzo

Not a bad day today, the first dry day in a while with mostly unbroken sunshine. Great day for walking/gardening and despite today being a little cooler than recently it has felt fairly pleasant outside.

Pangea

Horrible night out there , one thing i have noticed recently is that the showers seem to come in nasty squalls, almost like a storm out of nowhere at times.

redsteveireland

Being involved in different sports I have actually enjoyed this Winter of blandness as we have not had one cancelled training session or game due to the weather, which has been great for the kids after the disruption that Covid caused.

Saying that I wouldn't complain if we got a good blast of snow or a storm to see us out.

CrowdedHouse

A tiny bit of sleet/wet snow in a shower near Roscrea atm 2.1°C

Rebelbrowser

Might be a small chance of white stuff for certain select areas today - but all in all its depressing that today is one of the "best" chances this winter for snow. I'd love a day when there was a real chance of widespread snow and everyone was logged on to a dedicated thread poring over the latest charts / radar. Those are great days, even when (as usually happens) they end in disappointment. It may be the hope that kills you, but its also the hope that keeps you going long enough in the first place for it to subsequently kill you!

OldRio

Wintry showers today in Leitrim. Hail sleet and even a bit of snow. Followed by sunshine.

The One Doctor

Been a great winter, warm and no snow. Only a few really cold days.

Thank god for climate change.

Niall145

Nothing 'great' about this winter lol

Gonzo

This winter has been absolutely crap in my opinion except for the few nice sunny and dry days we had. December was mostly rubbish and Christmas week in particular was an absolute write off with a week of daily deluges and the wettest Christmas Day in living memory.

The only highlight was the 2 days of cold zonality in early January which brought some sugar coating to the grass. After that mostly dry and endless cloud. To those who have enjoyed the dry winter that's coming to an end now. The rest of February is looking very mild and very wet with no shortage of rain, the conveyer belt will be back by this weekend and that could see us through to the beginning of March. The chance of turning high and dry again is starting to get pushed back more and more. Absolutely no sign of anything cold or wintry any time soon.

All eyes now on Spring and Summer to see what that brings. 'Winter' can now be completely forgotten about until next November. There is still a chance we may get some wintryness in March or April but that's Spring when we look to see the weather turning warmer, not colder.

mcburns07

Tbf its hard to turn your nose up 2.5 months of winter being mostly dry bar a short wet spell in Dec. I love cold and snow but this has been a great winter for getting out and about. Unusual for Ireland so I'll take it when we get it.

NedsNotDead

Jayus Gonzo. I'd forgotten how much you whinge when you don't get the exactly correct metrology conditions above your house.

Such it up baby. SUCK IT UP!!!!

Gonzo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118612625#Comment_118612625

Not really winging, just unhappy over the winter, although the dry weather was welcome it would have been nicer if we had more in the way of sunshine when the high pressure was around for weeks. I'm fairly certain we have had all the same mild, bland and uneventful winter, it's not just been limited to above my house! Those who like their winters stormy would also be fairly disappointed with this winter. The past 2 days have been decent with plenty of sunshine and there might even be some frost tonight.

As for the Spring I'm not as bothered with how that turns out but hopefully we will get some nice sunny conditions particularly in the second half of Spring as we get closer to the summer.

appledrop

Went for coastal walk today + the colours were just breath taking. It was like a summers day except it was freezing!

The walk out was grand cold but sunny with wind behind me. Brrrr on way back so cold it took my breath away.

This has been without a doubt my favourite autumn/ winter ever. As I mentioned before only about 5 days since Sept that we haven't been able to walk to school. It has been unbelievable dry and also lack of wind has been brilliant. I used to think I absolutely hated winter in Ireland due to cold but actually its the wind + rain that bothers me the most.

I think I've only had to deiced the car about 3 times.

I do understand for those who like cold weather and snow not a good winter, but I'm loving it.

Gonzo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118613221#Comment_118613221

I forgot to mention the lack of wind and I would consider that a bonus too. I'm not into stormy weather at all unless it is a snow storm or a thunderstorm! While I have been very disappointed with this winter it is still nowhere as bad as winter 2019/2020 where the PV was at record levels and we had 3 solid months of 13C, driving rain and no end to the wind! However the next 7 to 10 days will certainly have shades of winter 2019/2020 with the PV really getting the Atlantic running at full gear. Hopefully things will quieten down by the end of February with plenty of high pressure domination into the Spring with more in the way of sunshine and blue skies and light winds of course. However getting a nice mild and sunny Spring can be a bit of a double edged sword as it can result in a fairly lousy summer if the decent pattern breaks by June. If I had a choice I'd put up with a wet Spring in exchange for a summer 1995/2013/2018/2021.

Pangea

Lots of photos of the Aurora Borealis last night online, is any of this actually visible with the naked eye or just through an expensive camera lens?

Gonzo

A nice sunny day again and feeling fairly mild as well. There was a slight frost last night but it was melted by 8am with the mild air and strong sunshine taking over. Make the most of today for outdoor activities because it all goes downhill from tomorrow as we will be entering a fairly unsettled and wet couple of weeks.

jimbis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118614251#Comment_118614251

Lasts night's wasn't very visible to the naked eye but it can be depending on your location/light pollution etc (in Ireland).

I've seen people recently capture some great pics with their phone so expensive cameras aren't a must either.

highdef

Out for a walk with the dog in Trim when all of a sudden an unmistakable powerful summer scent smacked me in the face. It was a large Jasmine in full bloom. They normally flower in high summer!

Oscar Bravo

Status Yellow - Wind warning for Donegal, Galway, Mayo

• Strong south or southwest winds gusting up to 100km/h.
• Valid: 15:00 Friday 11/02/2022 to 00:00 Saturday 12/02/2022

Status Yellow - Rain warning for Cork, Kerry, Galway

• Heavy rain will bring a possibility of flooding.
• Valid: 18:00 Friday 11/02/2022 to 06:00 Saturday 12/02/2022