Spring 2018: General Discussion

JCX BXC · 19-03-2018 11:24pm

Quite a bunch here.

Donegal Storm · 19-03-2018 11:24pm

I saw a few cherry blossoms starting to bloom in Carton House over the weekend, the odd daffodil here and there and some baby lambs in the fields as well. A late start to Spring this year but new growth is emerging slowly but surely

SleetAndSnow · 19-03-2018 11:26pm

Theres only one tree in my estate (besides the evergreens) that has buds on it. The rest are still totally bare with no sign of the buds appearing yet, and there are plenty of trees around me. Strange to see but I would say if we got any heat for maybe a week (13/14 degrees?) they would appear like wildfire.

NAGDEFI · 19-03-2018 11:36pm

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

No Daffs here as far as I can see.

At my homeplace the green shoots are just 2-3in above ground. Huge difference in there and Portlaoise/Carlow towns.

NAGDEFI · 19-03-2018 11:42pm

One thing i like about a cold Spring is that you can almost skip a season into Summer some years.

1989 saw a very cold April. Towards the end of the month the wind changed to the south. On April 30th we reached 20C. Mid May saw record breaking temperatures in the mid 20s.

What i really hate is an early what i term 'false' Spring. 1998, 16C on Valentines Day and during that week. Early green growth. By the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on 10th April,bitter north easterlies, -5C at night. All the early growth was literally burnt brown with the frost. It was an awful sight. All the laurel and shrubbery and early growth burnt off. Also the summer was wet and cool.

NAGDEFI · 19-03-2018 11:56pm

Then there are years with nice, pleasant Spring weather that sets the tone for the year. From memory the weather took up, so to speak, on 8th March 2003. Mid to late month there was some lovely sunny fine weather with temperatures in the mid teens by day and only slight frost at night. April was a lovely warm month also. Easter fell around mid April and temperatures reached 20C on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. A cool spell ended the month, not particularly cold. The following summer was good, a very warm June with a notable fine spell mid month. And August was particularly warm and Kilkenny Met Station recorded 2mm rainfall total for the whole month. September produced an outstanding mid month heatwave. Temperatures hitting 25C for about 4 days in a row.

2007 had a beautiful April and May. April was reaching 22C early in April. Unfortunately the weather broke down the end of May/ start of June. The first of a run of wet summers until 2013, with perhaps the exception of 2010.

sryanbruen · 20-03-2018 12:03am

NAGDEFI wrote: »

Then there are years with nice, pleasant Spring weather that sets the tone for the year. From memory the weather took up, so to speak, on 8th March 2003. Mid to late month there was some lovely sunny fine weather with temperatures in the mid teens by day and only slight frost at night. April was a lovely warm month also. Easter fell around mid April and temperatures reached 20C on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. A cool spell ended the month, not particularly cold. The following summer was good, a very warm June with a notable fine spell mid month. And August was particularly warm and Kilkenny Met Station recorded 2mm rainfall total for the whole month. September produced an outstanding mid month heatwave. Temperatures hitting 25C for about 4 days in a row.

2007 had a beautiful April and May. April was reaching 22C early in April. Unfortunately the weather broke down the end of May/ start of June. The first of a run of wet summers until 2013, with perhaps the exception of 2010.

The 12th March 2003 was the day when the high pressure ridged in from the south and west. It stayed with us for a good while bringing plenty of sunshine, it was the sunniest March on record in places. Casement Aerodrome had 176 hours of sun, 174% of its average for March. The IMT for March 2003 was a comfortably warm 8.4c, only 0.4c cooler than March 2012's IMT of 8.8c.

A week later on the same day, high has barely moved itself.

Every month of 2003 bar October was warmer than average though January and February had some severe frosts. 2003 is one of the better years you can find weather wise as a sun and warm lover.

NAGDEFI · 20-03-2018 12:10am

sryanbruen wrote: »

The 12th March 2003 was the day when the high pressure ridged in from the south and west. It stayed with us for a good while bringing plenty of sunshine, it was the sunniest March on record in places. Casement Aerodrome had 176 hours of sun, 174% of its average for March. The IMT for March 2003 was a comfortably warm 8.4c, only 0.4c cooler than March 2012's IMT of 8.8c.

Very good.Yes the sunshine must have started the 12th. I remember it was grey but mildish on the 8th and i was sowing flowers and transplanting boxes with glass covers outdoors which was unusual at home.

The earliest date cattle were let out at home was March 23rd 2007. Now we always tend to have cattle indoors a month later at the start of the year and in a month earlier in September or October, with altitude. Incidentally autumn 2007 was mild so we brought in the last of our cattle to sheds, from the driest pastures, on 30th November that year. So records at either end

sryanbruen · 20-03-2018 11:11am

NAGDEFI wrote: »

Very good.Yes the sunshine must have started the 12th. I remember it was grey but mildish on the 8th and i was sowing flowers and transplanting boxes with glass covers outdoors which was unusual at home.

The earliest date cattle were let out at home was March 23rd 2007. Now we always tend to have cattle indoors a month later at the start of the year and in a month earlier in September or October, with altitude. Incidentally autumn 2007 was mild so we brought in the last of our cattle to sheds, from the driest pastures, on 30th November that year. So records at either end

Meant to say, thanks for discounting 2010 in those Summers, as you know I love that Summer to bits and feel that it gets overshadowed and downplayed a lot

.

HighLine · 20-03-2018 2:34pm

Blue skies over all of Ireland today with plenty of snow still on the Wicklow Mountains.
Full resolution version here - https://lance-modis.eosdis.nasa.gov/imagery/subsets/?subset=United_Kingdom_Ireland.2018079.terra.250m

?subset=United_Kingdom_Ireland.2018079.terra.1km.jpg

Oneiric 3 · 20-03-2018 2:44pm

Some decently low relative humidity values recorded on the 1pm Met Éireann reports:

Wavering rapidly between 38% - 43% here over the last while.

Oneiric 3 · 20-03-2018 2:56pm

NAGDEFI wrote: »

Easter fell around mid April and temperatures reached 20C on Holy Thursday and Good Friday..

Can't remember this at all. My birthday has a habit of falling in and around the Easter period most years and the weather on it is usually cool, sunny and maybe showery. If there is one period in the year I hate seasonally and weatherwise, it is the late March - April period. Detest it in fact. In my view, Spring proper doesn't really get going until May, at least then, nature is beginning to spring into life.

sryanbruen · 20-03-2018 2:58pm

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

Can't remember this at all. My birthday has a habit of falling in and around the Easter period most years and the weather on it is usually cool, sunny and maybe showery. If there is one period in the year I hate seasonally and weatherwise, it is the late March - April period. Detest it in fact. In my view, Spring proper doesn't really get going until May, at least then, nature is beginning to spring into life.

Ironically enough, your parts were the warmest of the entire country. Belmullet recorded 24.2c on Holy Thursday, 17th April 2003.

Beautiful easterly winds bringing in sunshine and warmth.

Oneiric 3 · 20-03-2018 3:03pm

That is a nice chart with a proper Scandinavian High. Still can't remember it though for some reason. Probably because I was working nights at the time.

Oneiric 3 · 20-03-2018 3:24pm

Claremorris down to 34% RH on the 2pm reports with Ballyhaise, Mt. Dillon, Dunsany & Phoenix Park on 37%. National average is 49.2%, down from 51.2% in the previous hour.

wakka12 · 20-03-2018 3:32pm

nacho libre wrote: »

Humans differ:) I find this weather is uplifting.
Mild and wet south westerlies, no thanks. We have that for most of the year! The reason i'm loving the cold and snow is there's no guarantee we won't be snowless in years to come, or rather more likely is that it will be a long time before we see as potent an easterly again. I guess some people will be glad if that happens, though. I won't be one of them!

Me too! Thats why I was excited for the snow on sunday. Could easily be 8 consecutive snowless winters after this again!

jdcv94 · 20-03-2018 3:39pm

Even though the ECM is now falling in line with the other models for a northerly for Easter, something that looks positive for the warmies out there is that our old friend the Azores high seems to have lodged itself back on it's perch in the Azores. It usually wins out in the end in terms of our weather, so I'd imagine April will see a return of "normal" conditions. Even if it is damp, our gardens need it!

nacho libre wrote: »

Humans differ:) I find this weather is uplifting.
Mild and wet south westerlies, no thanks. We have that for most of the year! The reason i'm loving the cold and snow is there's no guarantee we won't be snowless in years to come, or rather more likely is that it will be a long time before we see as potent an easterly again. I guess some people will be glad if that happens, though. I won't be one of them!

Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed the historic weather of late. But I want these cold charts in Dec/Jan and not almost in April when snow will melt quickly (that is if it reaches lower ground even) and our gardens/farmers suffer.

Oneiric 3 · 20-03-2018 5:07pm

3pm reports. PP 31%; Athenry & Mt. Dillon 32%.

National average: 46.6%

Edit: 4pm reports: PP & Mt. Dillon 32%

National average: 48.2%.

Enjoy while you can as it will be a while before we see these values as low again.

Elmer Blooker · 20-03-2018 5:16pm

For those who don't think that Spring begins on March 1st but at the equinox it is now officially spring as the equinox just happened at 1615.

Artane2002 · 20-03-2018 6:21pm

Fantastic day. If you can't have snow then this is the best type of weather you can get. This was the first time that I sat out for my lunch break since September.

km79 · 20-03-2018 7:12pm

Fantastic two days
Only pity is I was out and about so don't have time to get to lawn
It might never be this dry again !

Artane2002 · 20-03-2018 7:23pm

km79 wrote: »

Fantastic two days
Only pity is I was out and about so don't have time to get to lawn
It might never be this dry again !

You have tomorrow morning I think but rain will come for the evening.

km79 · 20-03-2018 7:31pm

Artane2002 wrote: »

You have tomorrow morning I think but rain will come for the evening.

Working till early evening sadly
May get the front done

sryanbruen · 20-03-2018 7:33pm

A song to get us in the mood for the Summer

NAGDEFI · 20-03-2018 7:53pm

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

Can't remember this at all. My birthday has a habit of falling in and around the Easter period most years and the weather on it is usually cool, sunny and maybe showery. If there is one period in the year I hate seasonally and weatherwise, it is the late March - April period. Detest it in fact. In my view, Spring proper doesn't really get going until May, at least then, nature is beginning to spring into life.

Here's the Met Monthly Summary Oneric.

sryanbruen · 20-03-2018 8:44pm

So, in spite of 10hPa being cooler than average and no signs of warming up, 30hPa is having another bit of warming going on.

https://twitter.com/SimonLeeWx/status/976182462341623811

Artane2002 · 20-03-2018 9:57pm

Today is the first day in ages where there isn't a weather warning of some sort. There's almost always a yellow marine weather warning.

JCX BXC · 20-03-2018 9:58pm

Artane2002 wrote: »

Today is the first day in ages where there isn't a weather warning of some sort. There's almost always a yellow marine weather warning.

Pretty run of the mill for marine warnings in the winter tbf, doesn't really affect land.

Artane2002 · 20-03-2018 10:12pm

JCX BXC wrote: »

Pretty run of the mill for marine warnings in the winter tbf, doesn't really affect land.

I'm sure many people appreciate the warnings but if they are this regular then I don't see the need for them. If those conditions are this regular then I don't see the point of the warnings - they should be used to handling those conditions.

JCX BXC · 20-03-2018 10:32pm

Artane2002 wrote: »

I'm sure many people appreciate the warnings but if they are this regular then I don't see the need for them. If those conditions are this regular then I don't see the point of the warnings - they should be used to handling those conditions.

Again, they are not for use for you and me. They affect very light sea vessels that should not be sailed in windy conditions, or should have alot of care taken in such.

Also, not the place for discussing the merit of weather warnings.

Artane2002 · 20-03-2018 10:57pm

JCX BXC wrote: »

Again, they are not for use for you and me. They affect very light sea vessels that should not be sailed in windy conditions, or should have alot of care taken in such.

Also, not the place for discussing the merit of weather warnings.

I get what you are trying to say, im not arguing. Youre correct and I fully agree with you. I'm not saying they shouldn't be issued, I'm just saying they are often issued. Obviously there's a reason as to why they are issued. My post was just pointing out that it was strange to see no marine warning.

^ sorry if that sounded condescending, I didn't mean it that way.

Cork Boy 53 · 20-03-2018 11:03pm

In my memory Easter 1984 was one of the sunniest ever in south Munster anyway. I seem to recall the whole weekend (Sat-Mon)as days of unbroken sunshine.

sryanbruen · 20-03-2018 11:12pm

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

In my memory Easter 1984 was one of the sunniest ever in south Munster anyway. I seem to recall the whole weekend (Sat-Mon)as days of unbroken sunshine.

Somebody asked me about the late April period of 1984 before in the Irish Weather Statistics thread, here's the post below I replied to him.

sryanbruen wrote: »

Hey it's perfectly fine. Don't be afraid to ask questions people!

A ridge of high pressure first centred to the west of Scotland and later drifting over the North Sea dominated our weather from the 22nd to the end of the month. As a result, an easterly airflow developed during this fine spell which was unusually warm for April. Glenties, Co. Donegal recorded a mean daily maximum temperature of 20.4c from the 21st-30th! Many other places recorded mean daily maximum temperatures between 17-19c during the same period, one of the warmest periods on record for April. Thursday, April 26th 1984 currently holds the April maximum temperature record for Ireland of 25.8c at Glenties. Easter Sunday itself was just the start of the very warm spell so temperatures weren't remarkably high but it was still a very warm Easter with maximum temperatures between 16-21c. Sunshine was very abundant with many, many places recording between 10-13 hours of sunshine. It was what I like to call the Perfect Easter.

Information gathered from Met Éireann.

Cork Boy 53 · 20-03-2018 11:25pm

sryanbruen wrote: »

Somebody asked me about the late April period of 1984 before in the Irish Weather Statistics thread, here's the post below I replied to him.

OK thanks for that. I didn`t realize the warm sunny spell lasted for ten days or so. Also as I recall mid and late April 1982 was also mainly dry and sunny followed by a cold wintry start to May that year. Would that be correct?

sryanbruen · 20-03-2018 11:29pm

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

OK thanks for that. I didn`t realize the warm sunny spell lasted for ten days or so. Also if I recall mid and late April 1982 was also mainly dry and sunny followed by a cold wintry start to May that year. Would that be correct?

Yes, that is correct.

IMTs for both months

April 1982: 8.7 (+0.2 above the 1981-2010 average)
May 1982: 11.1 (-0.2 below the 1981-2010 average)

Artane2002 · 21-03-2018 8:53am

Cloudy start to the day with a bit of frost in Dublin (not in Artane at the moment). Chilly too. You know there is something wrong when march is more wintry than December or January! :pac:

Larbre34 · 21-03-2018 2:28pm

FI charts for easter weekend are bonkers. Grandson of the Beast potential.

What a serious impact this month will have on agriculture and to a lesser extent tourism. Spring possibly 6-8 weeks behind the norm

sryanbruen · 21-03-2018 10:16pm

It was a better day than I thought it'd be here with some nice Spring sunshine again for the third day in a row.

DominoDub · 21-03-2018 10:33pm

This little guy is living the FI dream

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1npkEoEtos

brookers · 22-03-2018 10:52am

https://www.farmersjournal.ie/ken-rings-irish-weather-forecast-for-2018-334283

giveitholly · 22-03-2018 11:17am

Snow in June? How do the farmers journal even publish this man's forecast

brookers · 22-03-2018 11:40am

giveitholly wrote: »

Snow in June? How do the farmers journal even publish this man's forecast

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Without_a_Summer

sryanbruen · 22-03-2018 11:45am

brookers wrote: »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Without_a_Summer

I've seen people acting prematurely about it to say we're going to be like 1816 this year..... well that was down to the eruption of Mount Tambora. We haven't had a significant enough volcanic eruption since 1991 now. The Iceland volcano wasn't very powerful in comparison to the likes of Mount Tambora and Mount Pinatubo but it was significant enough to cause disruptions and the fact that the eruption took place close to us. Mount Sinabung erupted a few weeks ago but it will not leave the same effects (if studies are correct) historical volcanic eruptions like those named on the atmosphere and cause some cooling around the globe.

Snow in June is possible but it's very rare and me, I find impossible to forecast personally.

i_love_pie · 22-03-2018 3:08pm

worst autumn , winter and spring in my lifetime by a distance and il be forty one in august

not one decent week long spell now since july

NAGDEFI · 22-03-2018 3:18pm

'The last snow showers will clear the country on the 11th June'.

I think Ken has mixed up his own country's (New Zealand) forecast for Ireland. June being winter in the southern hemi. #charlatan

_Dara_ · 22-03-2018 3:36pm

Think my Dark Sky app has malfunctioned.

I’m considering deleting it anyway, it’s not very accurate.

Cork Boy 53 · 22-03-2018 3:53pm

NAGDEFI wrote: »

'The last snow showers will clear the country on the 11th June'.

I think Ken has mixed up his own country's (New Zealand) forecast for Ireland. June being winter in the southern hemi. #charlatan

No he clearly forecast that this is Irish weather. I see he also predicted snowfall in mid/late October. Has snowfall in October ever been recorded in Ireland away from mountainous altitudes?

sryanbruen · 22-03-2018 3:56pm

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

No he clearly forecast that this is Irish weather. I see he also predicted snowfall in mid/late October. Has snowfall in October ever been recorded in Ireland away from mountainous altitudes?

The most recent time was October 2008.

Not the greatest video.

See it falling in London here:

snowstorm445 · 22-03-2018 4:11pm

Cork Boy 53 wrote: »

No he clearly forecast that this is Irish weather. I see he also predicted snowfall in mid/late October. Has snowfall in October ever been recorded in Ireland away from mountainous altitudes?

Syranbruen just mentioned it below, but yes in October 2008 there was some early snow. Remember being in Drogheda at the time and it snowed for a good few hours, even began sticking for a bit towards the end. Was on the news and everything, it was really freak weather.

November 2010 has made us more familiar with the possibility early snow but it really is very rare before December.

Cork Boy 53 · 22-03-2018 4:25pm

snowstorm445 wrote: »

Syranbruen just mentioned it below, but yes in October 2008 there was some early snow. Remember being in Drogheda at the time and it snowed for a good few hours, even began sticking for a bit towards the end. Was on the news and everything, it was really freak weather.

November 2010 has made us more familiar with the possibility early snow but it really is very rare before December.

OK thanks. I don`t remember that at all, it never fell in my back yard then.;):p

Also the bould Ken also forecast snow for June this year. I certainly never recall snow falling in Ireland at that time of year but I`m probably wrong about that too.

Spring 2018: General Discussion

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