Winter 2022-23 - General Discussion

After 5 failed winters in a row I'm not expecting next winter to be any different, just more mild followed by more mild, maybe the odd cool atlantic spell. My excitement heading into each winter is getting weaker year on year.

The only difference with this winter was we entered Winter with so much promise only for it to meet a sudden death mid December and that was it.

When I talk about failed winters, what I mean is winters with very little snow in general. Donegal and other parts of North-West can do well from snow most winters for a limited time but for the rest of the country it's fairly dismal most winters. Frosts is something I don't really get excited by and we get them most winters but even they are becoming more rare in general.

Winter in Donegal and Northern Ireland in general is fairly different overall to the republic with a climate more similar to northern England or southern Scotland. The vast majority of the republic, particularly southern, south western, some midland areas and eastern areas has a winter climate more similar to south-western England.

The south of England had many frosts in January, far more than Ireland got and more earlier in February but still doesn't change the fact many people there were disappointed with this winter due to lack of snow or no snow at all (away from London and parts of the SE which got very lucky in the December cold spell). While it's nice to get cold frosty nights and days in winter, it's very disappointing that snow seems ever more difficult to get, cold and snow is what most of us winter lovers want.

Beautiful chilly evening here in Kerry. Jupiter and Venus earlier.

Maybe som e will get to see the Aurora tonight.

This is why I've given up for another winter. If we were to get a decent cold spell in March it would need to be getting going now and dominate the first week of March. After that we're into mid morning melt territory unless something exceptional happens. March begins on Wednesday and there are only bare hints of cold about 2 weeks from now so I think we're done here.

After a snowless winter here in Meath and indeed much of Leinster, Munster and parts of Connaught, it would be rather annoying to finally see some flakes fall in second half of March just to see them melt instantly on impact. I'd rather we just stay in a mild theme and bag ourselves a nice day towards the end of March with 17C, warm enough to enjoy at least one lunch out in the garden.

Winter had it's chance and failed miserably.