sundog

The last few mornings have felt nice and fresh,got down to 7c early this morning. I'm so glad the near constant warmth of this summer is all over bar the shouting imo. Not saying any warmth is over but the worst or best (depending on your point of view) is now over.

Off to cork for nearly two weeks tomorrow. Looks like the first week should be good. Perhaps the second week a more typical type of Irish summer weather?

Well the good weather can only last for so long. Perhaps a sign of a summer of two halves?

The grass out at the front of my house could do with a bit of rain lol.

17.3c for me please.

Not a fan of heat myself. Won't mind too much if the heat lasts for a week or so but then starts to FO after.

As much as it's nice I view the upcoming spell with some trepidation. As personally I've never been a heat lover , don't mind it for a few days but then it quickly for me loses its appeal .As far as im concerned it can stay for a week or so and then FO.

The long journey back to winter has started. Of course at this stage it's just psychological . But I don't like the days being so long at this time of year so I look forward to the days getting that bit shorter for starters.

15.2c for me please.

Recorded my first 20c of the yr today. Lovely evening.

Walpurgis night April 30th ,May Eve's night. https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.thoughtco.com/walpurgis-night-the-other-halloween-2595375&ved=2ahUKEwjqkdnrxOLaAhVlBMAKHeNkDJ8QFjAAegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw1soTwBnOodAkncL1yRMTYS Halloween isn't the only night the supernatural rules. There's a penetrating chill in the wind. The bright moon rises behind the shivering, nearly naked trees. A profound sense of foreboding permeates the darkness. This is the night, after all, when witches ride their broomsticks through the sky, and the natural world is forced to confront the powers of the supernatural. No, it isn't October 31 and this is not Halloween.t's April 30 and it's Walpurgis Night. Like Halloween, Walpurgis has its roots in ancient pagan customs, superstitions and festivals. At this time of year, the Vikings participated in a ritual that they hoped would hasten the arrival of Spring weather and ensure fertility for their crops and livestock. They would light huge bonfires in hopes of scaring away evil spirits. But the name "Walpurgis" comes from a very different source. In the 8th Century, a woman named Valborg (other iterations of the name include Walpurgis, Wealdburg and Valderburger) founded the Catholic convent of Heidenheim in Wurtemburg, Germany. She herself later became a nun and was known for speaking out against witchcraft and sorcery. She was canonized a saint on May 1, 779. Since the celebration of her sainthood and the old Viking festival occurred around the same time, over the years the festivals and traditions intermingled until the hybrid pagan-Catholic celebration became known as Valborgsmässoafton or Walpurgisnacht -- Walpurgis Night. The Other Halloween Although not widely known in the US, this May-Eve night shares many of the traditions of Halloween and is, in fact, directly opposite Halloween on the calendar. According to the ancient legends, this night was the last chance for witches and their nefarious cohorts to stir up trouble before Spring reawakened the land. They were said to congregate on Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains -- a tradition that comes from Goethe's Faust. To ward off the witches' evil, the citizenry would burn bonfires, sprinkle holy water and adorn their homes with talismans of blessed palm leaf. One of the best ways to keep evil at bay, they thought, was through noise. This is an idea that probably dates back to early man. On Walpurgis Night, the citizens would ring bells, bang drums, crack whips and beat blanks of wood onto the ground. As technology advanced, they would shoot firearms into the air. Walpurgis Night even features its own version of Trick or Treat in some parts of Europe, especially Germany. In Bavaria, for example, where the celebration is known as a Freinacht or Drudennacht, the young might roam the neighborhoods pulling mischievous pranks, such as wrapping cars in toilet paper and smearing doorknobs with toothpaste. In Thueringen, Germany, some of the little girls dress up as witches, wearing paper hats and carrying sticks. In Finland, where the holiday is called Vappu, the ordinarily reserved Finns run screaming through the streets wearing masks and carrying drinks. Halloween-like scarecrows make an appearance, too. Life-size or smaller strawmen are created and ritually imbued with all the back luck and ill will of the past year. They are then tossed on the Walpurgis bonfires along with worn-out, burnable household items. A Time of Magic Some believe that Walpurgis, like Halloween, is more than a time of ritual spellcasting -- that it is a time when the barrier between our world and the "supernatural" is more easily crossed. "

11.7c for me please.

8.0c for me please.

My back garden today compared to 2 days ago. Well it was a good little cold spell, but a bit too much of a wham bam thank you mam job imo.I much preferred the cold spells of Jan 2010 and Dec 2010. Nothing I love more for example then clear frosty nights with snow cover,didn't get that with this cold spell. No hard frosts to help protect the snow from temps getting above zero. Though I suppose the amount of snow some got perhaps that's a good thing or they would be snowed in for weeks lol.

5.0c for me please.

most snow I've had since Dec 2010

Yes,I suppose today is the very start as such. Dry air from the continent making its presence felt.

I always felt tomorrow and Friday are the crucial days imo regards the modelling of the cold spell or more correctly the start of it. The more serious business regards the models starts tomorrow.

Better regards snow alright. Temps I'd say not as cold due to the time of year. But of course once it's cold enough for snow which it would be, is of course the main thing. I don't want to sound greedy.

Average height, average balls lol

I'd say us guys in the east will be buried to the balls ( in snow) next week. Looking very good,just wish we were closer to next week.

Maybe the models are starting to sober up a bit. The last week of Feb would be the best guess I think for any cold spell to get going.

The ssw is the equivalent of the models having their drink spiked. They don't know what's going on. Wait till a few days till they sober up and come round.

Totally agree. Anyone thinking that the models have any real handle on this atm need to get real. It just isn't worth getting worked up over what's showing on the models atm . No point till later next week in taking the models more seriously.

Yes any type of beasterly if we were to get one would suit me. Although my fav wind direction for cold and snow has always been a north easterly. So we will see what transpires later this month.