May shocker: strong winds, squally showers, even the potential for wintry showers

M.T. Cranium · 01-05-2021 7:49am #1

I think it's likely that a level one (yellow) wind and rain warning may be hoisted for Sunday night and Monday within the next few hours. Low pressure taking aim at Connacht will cross the country late Sunday night and bring intervals of heavy rain, as strong southeast winds will veer around to southwest then west to northwest increasing in speed later on Monday possibly into the 70-110 km/hr range.

The next few days will be unseasonably cold and bands of showers in moderate northwest to north winds could actually contain some mixed wintry varieties over higher parts of the north; hail mixing in with squally rain showers will be more widespread at lower elevations.

Even before the stormy weather arrives, today will have its own locally heavy showers with potential for hail too.

DOCARCH · 01-05-2021 8:22am

As Tony the Tiger would say.....GRRRRREEEAAAATTTT.

Supercell · 01-05-2021 10:47am

Ohh MTC what a title! Wouldnt mind a bit of weather action finally

pauldry · 01-05-2021 1:54pm

Yes Thursday particularly cold 6 to 8c and Monday particularly wet 25mm

01-05-2021 1:58pm

Ah FFS, MT!

You’re like the grinch that stole the sunshine

Artane2002 · 01-05-2021 2:19pm

the ECM has moved towards the GFS in terms of temporary wintriness in Monday's rain event for the north. The rain looks lighter than what the GFS is showing. Some showers after the low passes, most frequent in the north with a chance of wintry showers over northern hills as MT said.

overview_20210501_06_051.jpg?

tayto lover · 01-05-2021 2:22pm

Can’t understand how people can like bad weather. Crazy.

Meteorite58 · 01-05-2021 2:25pm

What was looking fairly benign in the earlier runs is certainly a lot windier and wetter on the latest output, ARPEGE and ICON have increased the wind speeds in the last two runs but showing maybe a bit less rainfall than the ECM at this stage. Quite a complex feature with the Jet in on the action helping to put spin on it, a bit to go yet with the final picture of this, seems to be a fairly strong whip of the winds developing for later Monday as the LP continues to deepen crossing the country, the winds would be freer as the front would be well cleared. Will this evolve into something stronger ??

Spot flooding possible in places. Would imagine with the ground so hard there could initially be a lot of run off.

Wintry showers on higher ground in Northern counties.

Tyrone212 · 01-05-2021 2:46pm

A pink blizzard on Monday, the cherry blossoms last stand.

SouthWesterly · 01-05-2021 3:22pm

I can hear my veggies singing with the rain.
After 11mm in April this is welcome. Just hope the wind part doesn't happen. All my fruit trees are in bloom.

limnam · 01-05-2021 3:47pm

tayto lover wrote: »

Can’t understand how people can like bad weather. Crazy.

Strange comment in the weather forum

Cluedo Monopoly · 01-05-2021 4:16pm

We had hailstones this morning in Galway after an otherwise sunny start. It has been dry and fine since.

Ride me sideways was another one.

Dank Janniels · 01-05-2021 4:18pm

The friggin turf just cut, the bog dry as a bone all month too!

smallwonder · 01-05-2021 5:20pm

Can anyone tell me is there another wet and windy event happening on Friday 7th into Sat 8th?. I've organised a Paddle for Pieta fundraiser for Darkness into Light. I'm hoping we won't be all swept away &#55358;&#56618;

Oneiric 3 · 01-05-2021 6:47pm

smallwonder wrote: »

Can anyone tell me is there another wet and windy event happening on Friday 7th into Sat 8th?. I've organised a Paddle for Pieta fundraiser for Darkness into Light. I'm hoping we won't be all swept away ��

Way too far out to know. Best just keep an eye MT's daily forecasts on here in the run up.

Meteorite58 · 01-05-2021 8:20pm

Winds looking stronger again late afternoon / early evening on Monday more so over the Southern half of the country and especially in the W , SW with strong NW / W'ly's .

Strong for the time of the year especially with the trees in leaf.

Got a feeling that this could get even stronger, it has been trending that way now nearly every run.

pauldry · 01-05-2021 8:22pm

tayto lover wrote: »

Can’t understand how people can like bad weather. Crazy.

Cant understand how people cant like crazy weather. Bad.

bfa1509 · 01-05-2021 10:20pm

A wet and windy May fills the shed with sheafs of hay

apparently.

SouthWesterly · 01-05-2021 10:30pm

Meteorite58 wrote: »

Winds looking stronger again late afternoon / early evening on Monday more so over the Southern half of the country and especially in the W , SW with strong NW / W'ly's .

Strong for the time of the year especially with the trees in leaf.

Got a feeling that this could get even stronger, it has been trending that way now nearly every run.

Thats the wrong forecast for Monday. I'm meant to be going to Kells Bay for a day out with the family

Arturo Delgado · 01-05-2021 10:35pm

bfa1509 wrote: »

A wet and windy May fills the shed with sheafs of hay

apparently.

Aye, and rough winds do shake the darling buds of May...

Birdnuts · 01-05-2021 10:38pm

bfa1509 wrote: »

A wet and windy May fills the shed with sheafs of hay

apparently.

Yep - In my experience 9 times out of ten the weather is always rather grim in the week before and after the May Bank Holiday. In contrast the June Bank Holiday is usually far more seasonal

M.T. Cranium · 01-05-2021 10:39pm

The wintry showers threat probably increases from late Monday to Wednesday as thicknesses below 522 dm are indicated for Ulster by then.

As to the question about next Friday night into Saturday, the general run of forecast models is for a wet and windy system to miss Ireland to the south and hit southern England next Saturday but even on the outer edges of that it will be very cool, slightly damp and unpleasant for outdoor activity (particularly at night).

That could change for the worse as model depictions of systems missing to south have a habit of shifting one way or the other, further could mean a secondary low and closer would mean the full onset of those bad conditions (+4C windy with rain would be the likely result for anyone on the northwest side of this system).

Meteorite58 · 01-05-2021 11:20pm

SouthWesterly wrote: »

Thats the wrong forecast for Monday. I'm meant to be going to Kells Bay for a day out with the family

It will have to be tomorrow so

, looks a decent enough day, best earlier and cloudier in the afternoon, maybe just a shower or could stay dry. Was thinking out West myself around the Peninsula. Kells Bay on the list for another weekend too.

Latest ICON has the second round of winds in the afternoon a bit further N , looks like a high end yellow, will it get even stronger ?? A lot of counties will be under yellow wind warning I would think with the strongest winds in the bottom 2/3 of the country.

tayto lover · 02-05-2021 12:00am

limnam wrote: »

Strange comment in the weather forum

Not at all. I like good weather and can’t understand how someone can like rain or storms even in the weather forum. No bother with anyone talking about bad weather but liking it......... don’t get it.

raclle · 02-05-2021 12:10am

This hot and cold weather is after giving me the flu. I feel like pure crap

SouthWesterly · 02-05-2021 12:15am

raclle wrote: »

This hot and cold weather is after giving me the flu. I feel like pure crap

Weather can't give you the flu. Its a viral infection. Plenty of fluid and rest.

raclle · 02-05-2021 1:19am

SouthWesterly wrote: »

Weather can't give you the flu. Its a viral infection.

Haha I meant in terms of spreading the infection. Isn't certain weather known for that?

pad199207 · 02-05-2021 11:18am

Status Yellow - Wind and Rain warning for Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Wexford

Met Éireann Weather Warning

Unseasonably wet and windy.

Southwesterly winds, veering northerly through Monday will reach mean speeds of 50 to 65 km/h with gusts up to 100 km/h, particularly in coastal areas and on higher ground.

Heavy rain in conjunction with the wind will lead to spot flooding with a risk of wave overtopping in coastal areas.

Valid: 03:00 Monday 03/05/2021 to 22:00 Monday 03/05/2021

Issued: 10:53 Sunday 02/05/2021

Chris_5339762 · 02-05-2021 12:05pm

A straight 10/10 for this morning down in Cork anyway, lovely clear morning - excellent visibilty - can see the wind farms on the Cork/Kerry border from Cobh with the naked eye. People out kayaking too and someone camping on the beach. Cloud building a bit now but it was a right cracker.

Will be a hell of a change come tomorrow. Hopefully the beans survive, they've only been planted for a week.

Oneiric 3 · 02-05-2021 12:31pm

Almost on a yearly basis, and usually around this time of year, we get forecasts (and weather) that are apparently 'unseasonable', but are they? Wet and windy spells seem common enough events during the first half of May. Maybe that is just my distorted perception though.

Oneiric 3 · 02-05-2021 12:38pm

Just as an example above, I remember that this feature last May (around the 22nd) was described as 'unseasonable' at the time.

malinheader · 02-05-2021 3:06pm

Cuckoo storm, also known locally as the storm to bring in the May heads. The long rods with seaweed connected to it. you see washed up on the beach. Used to be collected for iodine as well as other things.

Meteorite58 · 02-05-2021 4:41pm

malinheader wrote: »

Cuckoo storm, also known locally as the storm to bring in the May heads. The long rods with seaweed connected to it. you see washed up on the beach. Used to be collected for iodine as well as other things.

Very interesting

Have a distant memory of that, looked it up and found this on Duchas

This is a collection of folklore compiled by schoolchildren in Ireland in the 1930s

14sWkv2.jpg?1

And below an interesting link with the Cuckoo to Scaraveen from the Irish Independent

https://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/bad-weather-is-price-of-the-cuckoos-misdeeds-31109871.html

Letters
Letters to the Editor

March 31 2015 11:15 PM

Strolling out from Mass on Saturday evening, a friendly neighbour - aware that I am a year-round sea swimmer - jocosely advised me to stay out of the sea until "Scaraveen" has passed. Her reference to "Scaraveen" reminded me of a gifted teacher who taught me Irish, history and geography in Tralee CBS.

I always enjoyed this particular teacher's classes, as he had a wonderful way of blending his extensive general knowledge seamlessly into his teaching. When it came to Irish culture, folklore, history and sport he was without equal. So, while I have heard and read many definitions of "Scaraveen," I have never deviated from my former teacher's description.

According to him, "Scaraveen" is an anglicising of the Irish phrase "garbh shion na gcuach", which means "the rough weather of the cuckoo". The Irish term gradually became "garbh shion", then "Garaveen" and, finally, "Scaraveen."

The cuckoo winters in sub-Saharan Africa and returns to Europe in early spring. She is a solitary bird, more often heard than seen. The familiar "cuck-oo cuck-oo" call heralds the beginning of spring, when the cuckoo returns to our shores.

The cuckoo, one of the most infamous brood parasites, lays her eggs in the nests of small song birds with precision timing. Once hatched, the cuckoo chicks eject the legitimate occupants and are then fed by the unsuspecting foster parents. The cuckoo chick is already a true master of deception.

Folklore has it that "Scaraveen" is nature's way of exacting retribution on the cuckoo for the havoc she causes in the bird world. From about April 15 to May 15, mild spring weather has been known to revert to cold, wet miserable weather, which is more typical of winter. Unfortunately, we all pay the price for the cuckoo's misdeeds.

I'm sure Evelyn Cusack and the Met Éireann team can come up with a scientific explanation for the phenomenon of "Scaraveen" and, indeed, the much maligned cuckoo may be an entirely innocent party. But, until they do, I'll stick with my former teacher's definition.

Billy Ryle

Tralee, Co Kerry

Meteorite58 · 02-05-2021 4:56pm

Latest output from ECM and ICON would suggest the warning level might need to be increased to gusts up to 110 km/h . ICON is a bit out on its own with the highest wind gusts, even higher then the EURO 4. ARPEGE just rolling out and much the same as previous run showing a lot of rain overnight in the W.

pauldry · 02-05-2021 6:29pm

Heavy rain has arrived in Sligo. It's been raining past 2 hours 4mm so far

Beechwoodspark · 02-05-2021 6:39pm

Cuckoo storms - fascinating !

Dank Janniels · 02-05-2021 10:18pm

Aunt rang the auld lady there asking had we battened down the hatches. Apparently one of her neighbour's said theres a big storm on the way and is gona hit Galway at midnight!
I went straight on to Met Eireann and saw only the yellow warning that was issued earlier. Where the hell are sum people getting their news?!

The One Doctor · 02-05-2021 10:51pm

Believe Met Eireann, others tend to exaggerate.

Oscar Bravo · 02-05-2021 11:01pm

Dank Janniels wrote: »

Aunt rang the auld lady there asking had we battened down the hatches. Apparently one of her neighbour's said theres a big storm on the way and is gona hit Galway at midnight!
I went straight on to Met Eireann and saw only the yellow warning that was issued earlier. Where the hell are sum people getting their news?!

Poor oul Michael Fish got caught out the same way years back

Cluedo Monopoly · 02-05-2021 11:38pm

I am actually looking forward to a day inside watching the rain and the TV.
All that good weather has me worn out and I am sick of gardening!
The farmers need some rain too.

Danno · 02-05-2021 11:40pm

Looking at the charts the wind seems more a problem than the rain. Following the dry March-April the ground should soak up much of the rain.

Storm 10 · 03-05-2021 12:00am

Jez don't know who read the forecast just now on radio but he was all over the place

ratracer · 03-05-2021 12:01am

South Galway and there isn’t even a leaf blowing on the trees. Eerily calm, not a drop of rain either.

Foggy Jew · 03-05-2021 2:19am

Meteorite58 wrote: »

Very interesting

Have a distant memory of that, looked it up and found this on Duchas

This is a collection of folklore compiled by schoolchildren in Ireland in the 1930s

And below an interesting link with the Cuckoo to Scaraveen from the Irish Independent

https://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/bad-weather-is-price-of-the-cuckoos-misdeeds-31109871.html

Letters
Letters to the Editor

March 31 2015 11:15 PM

Strolling out from Mass on Saturday evening, a friendly neighbour - aware that I am a year-round sea swimmer - jocosely advised me to stay out of the sea until "Scaraveen" has passed. Her reference to "Scaraveen" reminded me of a gifted teacher who taught me Irish, history and geography in Tralee CBS.

I always enjoyed this particular teacher's classes, as he had a wonderful way of blending his extensive general knowledge seamlessly into his teaching. When it came to Irish culture, folklore, history and sport he was without equal. So, while I have heard and read many definitions of "Scaraveen," I have never deviated from my former teacher's description.

According to him, "Scaraveen" is an anglicising of the Irish phrase "garbh shion na gcuach", which means "the rough weather of the cuckoo". The Irish term gradually became "garbh shion", then "Garaveen" and, finally, "Scaraveen."

The cuckoo winters in sub-Saharan Africa and returns to Europe in early spring. She is a solitary bird, more often heard than seen. The familiar "cuck-oo cuck-oo" call heralds the beginning of spring, when the cuckoo returns to our shores.

The cuckoo, one of the most infamous brood parasites, lays her eggs in the nests of small song birds with precision timing. Once hatched, the cuckoo chicks eject the legitimate occupants and are then fed by the unsuspecting foster parents. The cuckoo chick is already a true master of deception.

Folklore has it that "Scaraveen" is nature's way of exacting retribution on the cuckoo for the havoc she causes in the bird world. From about April 15 to May 15, mild spring weather has been known to revert to cold, wet miserable weather, which is more typical of winter. Unfortunately, we all pay the price for the cuckoo's misdeeds.

I'm sure Evelyn Cusack and the Met Éireann team can come up with a scientific explanation for the phenomenon of "Scaraveen" and, indeed, the much maligned cuckoo may be an entirely innocent party. But, until they do, I'll stick with my former teacher's definition.

Billy Ryle

Tralee, Co Kerry

Loved this. Thank you.

FutureGuy · 03-05-2021 6:35am

Not a breeze overnight in Limerick

Graces7 · 03-05-2021 6:55am

Stormed in out here. Loud night; high wind and heavy rain.. ROOO TEEEN! Not usually in May...but there we are. Times they are a-changing.

Snugged in.

MT; thank you for the warning. Forewarned etc.

opps… connection shak...…. y.

West Mayo offshore

DOCARCH · 03-05-2021 7:04am

Soft morning in Dublin 16. Calm with light rain. First rainy morning in a long time!

M.T. Cranium · 03-05-2021 7:40am

A lot of the action is probably above the cloud deck inland for the time being, that will change once the occluding cold front pushes east and turns the gradient wind more westerly allowing the strong gusts on the Atlantic coast to start moving through the middle of the country, expect a gradual increase in wind speeds all day inland, but on the coast depends on positioning, some will have a couple of peaks around mid-day and late afternoon, further north there will be a lull when the low centre moves directly through north Connacht towards south Ulster. Anyone reading this near the north coast of Ulster will be in strong east-southeast winds for a time as the low makes that move.

malinheader · 03-05-2021 7:48am

There is a a good video on YouTube of the cuckoo storm of may 2020 "Gharbai'n na gcuach - cuckoo storm"
Think its filmed in Achill, but not %100.
Explains the gathering of the kelp and wrack that gets washed in.

03-05-2021 8:10am

There’s a trampoline balancing on a fence a few doors up. Rang the doorbell of the house but no answer. Just hoping they wake up soon and look out their back windows as I’ve got to head off shortly. Moved everything that could be in its path. I’d like to come back to intact patio doors though.

Windy North Leitrim

ratracer · 03-05-2021 8:25am

It’s wet and wild in South Galway for the last couple of hours now, pretty much as forecast. Not much left on the cherry blossom tree.

May shocker: strong winds, squally showers, even the potential for wintry showers

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