Severe Thunderstorm July 25th/26th 1985

Kenneth747 · 27-05-2019 3:12pm

Hi ladies and gents.

The storms of 85/86 were by far the best Ireland ever had indeed i remember them with great fondness but i do recall the storm of July 85 was by far the worst.

I do recall that day been hot muggy and dull and as the day went on you could hear the thunder in the distance every now and again and i remember dad saying that's going to be a bad one when it hits make no mistake about it.

Sure enough as the night went on he was right indeed he even got out the old paraffin lamps ready to go and mam asked him what are you doing he said we will need them when the power goes out and she was like no it will not be that bad and he just laughed and asked where are the matches love,,,, She said over there and then she put the kettle on.

He did say with the two weather systems meeting up and their origin this storm is going to be live i recall the storm really getting going and the really bright flashes of the lightning and the sound of the thunder was so loud then the hailstones the size of them and you could hear them hitting the roof and knocking the pebble dashing of the house and the neighbours on the street coming to stay with each other for comfort as some were afraid and then breaking out the whiskey making a night of it sure why not.

I remember looking out when the power was knocked out the only light was dad's old lamps and indeed the lightning and it was amazing to see how clear you could see around the area as it was like daytime everytime the lightning would flash i recall looking over the fields and the whole sky was just covered with lightning streaks may be about 20/25 in one go and different colors blue,green,red,orange it was amazing indeed and the bangs from the thunder were so loud and you could feel the vibrations through the house.

I can remember the smell of sulfur in the air as the storm was raging on and getting worse as the night worn on it now seemed like this was a storm that had plenty of fuel to keep her lit but i enjoyed every minute of it as the lightning seemed to have no gaps in it as it just kept flashing every second adjust constant thunder and heavy hail it was just amazing unreal that it was happening in Ireland as we do not get such weather events especially with thunderstorms.

When dawn broke the storm was starting to calm down i remember just looking at the sky and the color of it was just so creepy if i remember right it looked to be a dirty brownish color lit up with lightning like something from a movie but i am glad i was able to witness this storm the best ever and i love hearing stories from people about it as it brings back very good memories indeed thanks for going down the old memory lane.

Gaoth Laidir · 27-05-2019 11:06pm

Kenneth747 wrote: »

Hi ladies and gents.

The storms of 85/86 were by far the best Ireland ever had indeed i remember them with great fondness but i do recall the storm of July 85 was by far the worst.

I do recall that day been hot muggy and dull and as the day went on you could hear the thunder in the distance every now and again and i remember dad saying that's going to be a bad one when it hits make no mistake about it.

Sure enough as the night went on he was right indeed he even got out the old paraffin lamps ready to go and mam asked him what are you doing he said we will need them when the power goes out and she was like no it will not be that bad and he just laughed and asked where are the matches love,,,, She said over there and then she put the kettle on.

He did say with the two weather systems meeting up and their origin this storm is going to be live i recall the storm really getting going and the really bright flashes of the lightning and the sound of the thunder was so loud then the hailstones the size of them and you could hear them hitting the roof and knocking the pebble dashing of the house and the neighbours on the street coming to stay with each other for comfort as some were afraid and then breaking out the whiskey making a night of it sure why not.

I remember looking out when the power was knocked out the only light was dad's old lamps and indeed the lightning and it was amazing to see how clear you could see around the area as it was like daytime everytime the lightning would flash i recall looking over the fields and the whole sky was just covered with lightning streaks may be about 20/25 in one go and different colors blue,green,red,orange it was amazing indeed and the bangs from the thunder were so loud and you could feel the vibrations through the house.

I can remember the smell of sulfur in the air as the storm was raging on and getting worse as the night worn on it now seemed like this was a storm that had plenty of fuel to keep her lit but i enjoyed every minute of it as the lightning seemed to have no gaps in it as it just kept flashing every second adjust constant thunder and heavy hail it was just amazing unreal that it was happening in Ireland as we do not get such weather events especially with thunderstorms.

When dawn broke the storm was starting to calm down i remember just looking at the sky and the color of it was just so creepy if i remember right it looked to be a dirty brownish color lit up with lightning like something from a movie but i am glad i was able to witness this storm the best ever and i love hearing stories from people about it as it brings back very good memories indeed thanks for going down the old memory lane.

.

Gaoth Laidir · 27-06-2020 9:36pm

I was looking back at the weather reports for the Irish stations on the 25th and 26th and made this summary. Unfortunately only the airports (Dublin, Shannon and Cork) reported every hour (though Dublin had no report at 16:00 on the 25th), the other stations only reported every 6 hours. Still, it gives a good overall picture of the lead-up to the big event. I will particularly focus on Dublin airport's reports, which showed thunderstorms in 6 consecutive hourly reports.

Temperatures were not particularly high during the day (around 16-23 °C) and dewpoints remained around 14-15 °C. The thunderstorms formed primarily from elevated convection.

25th, 07:00:
Conditions were pretty calm, with just light southeastly winds, and most stations were reporting either mist/fog or light drizzle, though Birr was fine and reporting stratocumulus. Temperature and dewpoints were both in the mid-teens and pressure was around 1015-1017 hPa. At Dublin Airport, mist changed to light drizzle later in the morning as the flow stayed in off the sea.

25th, 13:00
Temperatures ranged from 15-16 °C near the east and south coasts (which were shrouded in sea fog) to 21 °C at Birr, where a thunderstorm was being reported. There was a rain shower at Clones and haze at Kilkenny. Winds were still light easterly and pressure had fallen only slightly to 1014-1016 hPa. Dublin airport missed a report at 16:00 but a thunderstorm was reported an hour later.

25th, 19:00
The action had started. Thunderstorms with rain were reported at Mullingar and Clones, as well as several stations in Northern Ireland. Max afternoon temperatures had been 23.1 °C and 22.7 °C at Birr and Kilkenny, respectively, but only 16.1 °C at Dublin Airport. Dewpoints were still in the range 15-17 °C and pressure had fallen a little faster to 1011-1012 hPa. Dublin was reporting mist again and visibility only 2 km. Kilkenny had 14 km in haze, and Rosslare and Cork (airport and Roche's Point) had sea mist.

26th, 01:00
Cork Airport had nearby thunderstorms in three consecutive hourly reports (21:00-23:00) and Shannon in two (23:00 and 00:00). Dublin had persistent mist all evening. At 01:00 heavy thunderstorms with rain were reported at Birr and Kilkenny, both with 8-km visibility, and light thunderstorm with rain at Cork Airport. Shannon was reporting lightning but no thunder and Mullingar a nearby thunderstorm. Dublin Airport was still only reporting mist.

Temperatures at most stations were 15 °C and pressure was 1008-1009 hPa. Winds had veered to mostly northerly or north-northeasterly and were still very light (<10 km/h). Clouds reported were Cb calvus at Shannon, Birr and Mullingar and Cb incus at Kilkenny and Cork Airport. Dublin Airport was reporting Ac castellanus, as it had been all evening, and Cirrus covering more than half the sky.

26th, 02:00-07:00
Dublin Airport was still reporting mist at 02:00 and first mentioned a nearby thunderstorm at 03:00. It then reported light/moderate thunderstorms with hail at 04:00 and with rain at 05:00, 06:00 and 07:00, during which time visiblity ranged from 12 km at 03:00 down to 0 km at 06:00 (error?). By 08:00 it was back up to 9 km and weather reported was recent thunderstorm. So thunderstorms were occuring in continuously near or over Dublin Airport for at least 5 consecutive hours. Mist was again reported right throughout the morning and up to 14:00.

At other stations, Kilkenny, Clones, Malin Head and most stations in Northern Ireland were reporting thunderstorm with rain at 07:00. Temperatures and dewpoints were still both 14-15 °C and pressure was now 1003-1004 hPa in the eastern half of the country. Winds were light variable. Later in the day Rosslare reported thunderstorm with rain at 13:00.

Gaoth Laidir · 02-07-2020 9:33pm

Whatever about Dublin Airport, Belfast Aldergrove reported thunderstorms for 10 hours in a row, plus in two other reports. That makes a total of 12 hours out of 16. Note the report of smoke (FU) at 9 am on the 26th, possibly from a lightning strike?

The chart below is primarily from METARs, so some of the cloud types are not reported. Nearby Hillsborough reported synops at that time so some clout types are taken from there, where available.

VCTS = nearby thunderstorm, RETS = recent thunderstorm.

Danno · 02-07-2020 11:39pm

Great report GL!

Rrrrrr2 · 05-07-2021 10:02am

Folk memory still very strong of this storm, especially around Kilkenny
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10227474608439174&id=1482246147&set=gm.1732214606970021&source=48

05-07-2021 11:38am

From what I remember as a small Child even the adults were scared sh1tless, and the crashes of thunder and flashes were relentless and the thunder was very very loud.

We had a couple of years with bad enough storms in from the mid to late 80s and I remember some lightning storms too with no thunder.

All that's changed along with out regular summer downpours and cracks of thunder the last couple of years which I can only imagine is as a result of the shift in the Gulf stream which is most likely the cause of a lot of the Ice melting up North as the Guld stream has moved further West and North and climate experts are saying it's as a result of climate change, as if the Gulf Stream never changed before, everything now comes down to anthropogenic climate change especially when they don't know what's going on, the easiest thing to come up with is climate change.

Gonzo · 05-07-2021 12:20pm

I'll never forget that storm, I was only a young child at the time and little did I know then that event would be a once in a lifetime event. If I ever want to witness a thunderstorm like that again or thunderstorms in general I have to be abroad at the right time.

05-07-2021 12:29pm

Gonzo wrote: »

I'll never forget that storm, I was only a young child at the time and little did I know then that event would be a once in a lifetime event. If I ever want to witness a thunderstorm like that again or thunderstorms in general I have to be abroad at the right time.

Yes it's a shame we don't get Thunderstorms any more, 85 was a big one but there were some decent proper thunderstorms after this up to the late 80s and early 90's and the 90's in particular I remember a lot more lightning storms and believe it or not the first time I say sprites.

I remember being outside in the dark with a friend of mine and we could see lightning flashing which appeared to be going up in a sort of a mushroom cloud in a purpalish bluish glow it was the most amazing thing I ever say, my mate was amazed too and of course when we told the story People thought we were making it up until the next day they said there was a bad thunderstorm over Wicklow right in the direction we saw the lightning but who would believe they would see lightning going up and not down in a kind of mushroom cloud ? at least I think they call them sprites, some years later I say a documentary on lightning and it was exactly as I saw it. First and last time I saw it too and probably rare anyone saw it on this Island.

Rrrrrr2 · 05-07-2021 2:15pm

I don’t remember the 85 one but remember one around June 22nd 1986? My brother was born and our phone was blown off the wall by lightning. Wall was marked for years with the smoke stain!
Remember a few severe ones like late August 91 and also August or July 1995- living in Kilkenny.

05-07-2021 2:24pm

Rrrrrr2 wrote: »

I don’t remember the 85 one but remember one around June 22nd 1986? My brother was born and our phone was blown off the wall by lightning. Wall was marked for years with the smoke stain!
Remember a few severe ones like late August 91 and also August or July 1995- living in Kilkenny.

Yeah the mid to late 80's were a good time for Thunderstorms, even the early 90s Unfortunately a lot of People won't remember these and think that a thunder shower with a couple of claps of Thunder = a Thunderstorm.

Rrrrrr2 · 05-07-2021 2:25pm

https://www.rte.ie/archives/collections/news/21200391-freak-storm-causes-damage/

Rrrrrr2 · 05-07-2021 2:28pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yeah the mid to late 80's were a good time for Thunderstorms, even the early 90s Unfortunately a lot of People won't remember these and think that a thunder shower with a couple of claps of Thunder = a Thunderstorm.

All I remember is adults talking about how dangerous they were (remember being warned not to sit near the window as a thing!) so given the lower safety standards of the time it’s safe to say people were genuinely concerned. Plugging out all appliances I can remember as very much a done thing in our house as a kid during thunderstorms

Rrrrrr2 · 05-07-2021 2:30pm

https://www.kilkennyweather.com/index.php/1985-worst-thunderstorm

05-07-2021 2:31pm

Yeah I remember the crop damage it was extensive but wasn't unique to the 1985 Storm.

I remember the noise of some of the downpours/hail in some of these storms.

If only there was a way People could have recorded some of these storms then like possible today !

Rrrrrr2 · 05-07-2021 2:33pm

Lots of farm animals killed in the 85 storm- they would be especially vulnerable sheltering under trees and fences, wet exposed ground are great conductors

Rrrrrr2 · 05-07-2021 2:35pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yeah I remember the crop damage it was extensive but wasn't unique to the 1985 Storm.

I remember the noise of some of the downpours/hail in some of these storms.

If only there was a way People could have recorded some of these storms then like possible today !

I know- bar the odd pic and Rte clip we have very little. Culturally, it’s not something people even did then- pics were taken mostly of special occasions. Taking pics of routine items would have been considered odd or a waste of good film!

Rrrrrr2 · 05-07-2021 2:39pm

Is the south east slightly worse than other parts of the country for thunder and lightning I wonder? We seemed to be at the epi centre of nearly all these worst storms? Or is that just my bias as that’s where I’m from?

Gonzo · 05-07-2021 2:47pm

Rrrrrr2 wrote: »

Is the south east slightly worse than other parts of the country for thunder and lightning I wonder? We seemed to be at the epi centre of nearly all these worst storms? Or is that just my bias as that’s where I’m from?

The east is rarely great for thunder, particularly the northern half of Leinster. Western areas definitely see more in the way of thundery showers and sometimes the south coast can get some welsh imports or the odd thunderstorm drifting up from France as they die out. Ireland in general is a very poor location for thunderstorms. A clap or two of thunder is not a thunderstorm and that is what we mostly get and even those are rare.

PokeHerKing · 05-07-2021 2:51pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Yeah the mid to late 80's were a good time for Thunderstorms, even the early 90s Unfortunately a lot of People won't remember these and think that a thunder shower with a couple of claps of Thunder = a Thunderstorm.

Does the data back this statement up? I was born in 85 but can't say I remember much in the way of a difference re thunderstorms over the decades. I'm in Dublin though which in general doesn't get many anyway so maybe that's the reason.

05-07-2021 3:06pm

PokeHerKing wrote: »

Does the data back this statement up? I was born in 85 but can't say I remember much in the way of a difference re thunderstorms over the decades. I'm in Dublin though which in general doesn't get many anyway so maybe that's the reason.

No Idea about that data just what I remember and they were definitely not the thunder shower and 3 claps of thunder we get today at least here in the South East, Carlow Town direction.

05-07-2021 3:14pm

Gonzo wrote: »

The east is rarely great for thunder, particularly the northern half of Leinster. Western areas definitely see more in the way of thundery showers and sometimes the south coast can get some welsh imports or the odd thunderstorm drifting up from France as they die out. Ireland in general is a very poor location for thunderstorms. A clap or two of thunder is not a thunderstorm and that is what we mostly get and even those are rare.

That's the thing about a lot of the storms we would have got back then that I always remember on the forecast about them moving up from the Bay of Biscay something that rarely happens today but would have given the South East a lot more action than today.

Even in my part of the country we get a lot less thundery downpours and thunder than we would normally the last couple of years as a lot of the showers would move in from the west directly over the Castlecomer Plateau but now these showers even though much less frequent and intense in General seem not to be moving West/East but more of a North Easterly direction.

So whether all this change the last couple of years is a direct result of the change in the Gulf Stream I don't know but it's the most logical explanation but I do know our weather/Climate on this part of the Island has changed.

I've always been weather mad so I pay attention to it and can remember a lot.

Rrrrrr2 · 05-07-2021 5:14pm

I remember last summer we got a (relatively) intense thunderstorm one night and like that it had pushed up for the south Irish Sea into Wexford Waterford and on inland to us and was quite intense

05-07-2021 9:06pm

Rrrrrr2 wrote: »

I remember last summer we got a (relatively) intense thunderstorm one night and like that it had pushed up for the south Irish Sea into Wexford Waterford and on inland to us and was quite intense

Ah yeah I remember that, I was out watching the lightning hardly any Thunder it was a good bit away it would have been more over Wexford South of Carlow direction but it did actually look a decent bit wherever it was.

Rikand · 05-07-2021 10:19pm

I was 3 years old and my dad woke me up to come peek out through the curtains of the sitting room window at the storm. We were there for a good 10 minutes until my mother walked into the room and ushered us away because of the danger of being near the windows. The memory is still as clear as the sky was illuminated that night

Gaoth Laidir · 05-07-2021 10:51pm

Some of the nonsense we were told - and swallowed - when we were young.

"Don't go near dogs in a storm, they attract lightning"

"Stay away from herds of cows".

"Lightning can jump in the window/down the chimney at you".

"Thunder is God moving the furniture".

Any others?

Oneiric 3 · 05-07-2021 11:01pm

One trend I have noticed is the decrease in August thunderstorms. I remember when I was wee, that storms in August and even early September were something to be feared. They moved in slowly (adding to the excitment) and lasted for hours on end. Thunderstorms these days seem more confined to June and July (not that we have seen much in this regard here this summer :rolleyes:)

Mongfinder General · 05-07-2021 11:15pm

One of my earliest memories was being taken to a Leinster Final between Dublin and Laois in July 1985. I think that was the wettest that I’ve ever been at a football match.

Rrrrrr2 · 05-07-2021 11:58pm

Mongfinder General wrote: »

One of my earliest memories was being taken to a Leinster Final between Dublin and Laois in July 1985. I think that was the wettest that I’ve ever been at a football match.

Yea I believe 85 and 86 were really dreadful summers. Someone can correct me here but wasn’t the weather in September and October glorious after it? 1986 especially

esposito · 06-07-2021 12:22am

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

One trend I have noticed is the decrease in August thunderstorms. I remember when I was wee, that storms in August and even early September were something to be feared. They moved in slowly (adding to the excitment) and lasted for hours on end. Thunderstorms these days seem more confined to June and July (not that we have seen much in this regard here this summer :rolleyes:)

August really is a s***e month these days. No good thunderstorms anymore and no hot sunny days anymore. All we seem to get now is cool atlantic winds with heavy horizontal rain and if it's not that, it's just overcast with drizzle. Prove me wrong 2021!

The One Doctor · 20-07-2021 3:54pm

The 85/86 storm was epic, and left my frightened of thunderstorms for years. Then I moved to Brisbane and experienced some awesome storms. We had a large tower near us and it would take a CG strike every few minutes. It was glorious and cured me of my phobia as I realised that I enjoyed it.

Hope to have a MCS again in Ireland this year!

olestoepoke · 20-07-2021 4:07pm

I'm reading peoples posts saying they were 11 years old and remember it well, I grew up on the Northside of Dublin and I can't remember it at all, I was also 11 years old at the time BTW

greenspurs · 20-07-2021 4:14pm

Was camping in Curracloe with scouts.

I dont think we got it too bad, but i know my parents and aunt were driving back to Kilkenny from Curracloe that night and they were terrified by the thunderstorm.

(another good storm happened during a Bon Jovi gig in the RDS in early 2000s ?? )

esposito · 20-07-2021 10:46pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117638131#Comment_117638131

Yes August 2000. Wasn't there but heard it was epic.

Billcarson · 20-07-2021 11:31pm

I remember the night of 25th July 85,thunder and lightning all night and torrential downpours I lived in South Dublin and was 11 at the time.

Also the around the end of June 86 we had some great thunder storms too.

Billcarson · 20-07-2021 11:35pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117600011#Comment_117600011

Yes September and October 86 were good. I think if I remember rightly that we had a few frosty nights around the end of September though. Had an Indian summer in October for awhile with temperatures around the mid 20s during a warm spell .

road_high · 21-07-2021 7:11pm

https://www.facebook.com/groups/208774619314035/permalink/1732214606970021/?app=fbl

road_high · 21-07-2021 7:13pm

Really interesting discussion and folk memories surrounding this storm still around Kilkenny

road_high · 21-07-2021 7:21pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117638131#Comment_117638131

I can imagine from anything I’ve read it would have been pretty dangerous too- the road up from New Ross is surrounded by massive trees in a lot if it

Danno · 25-07-2021 9:53am

36 years ago today.

RobertKK · 29-08-2021 9:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117643430#Comment_117643430

Yes remember it well as a child, given I was in a field with lightning strikes close to me like I never have seen since...my mother had the blessed candles lighting, no electricity from the storms and she was absolutely terrified.

road_high · 29-08-2021 10:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117820789#Comment_117820789

Tell us more- were you working at hay or something in the fields? Did you get out of theee as soon as possible?

RobertKK · 29-08-2021 11:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117820956#Comment_117820956

Bringing in hay from the fields. It wasn't a big field but it had several quick lightning strikes and far too close for comfort, lucky we weren't hit, my father rushed to get us all on the tractor and we went home.

He brought the cows in as we still had electricity and the lightning was ongoing, mother had us praying the rosary that he wouldn't be killed by the lightning:)

Severe Thunderstorm July 25th/26th 1985

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