Snow Watch: Ireland

[Baltic Regions]

I'm delighted to say that Ballyclare has snow on the ground. Still a bit to catch up on other areas but the showers have been much more frequent from the late afternoon.

Work was fun getting to and I saw a man driving his car with the boot open. Sitting in the boot was someone with a snowboard strapped to their feet. (Not on the main roads!)

Temp to get very cold again tonight and BBC giving snow on Sunday.

Great heavy snow shower this morning in Belfast!

[stormforce 10]

heavy snow showers here, a good covering on the ground now with frozen surfaces underneath. roads are treacherous. bitterly cold too.

[BIG LAD]

have had a few decent snow showers here too and left a nice covering. -1c and a biting wind.

[Baltic Regions]

Temp was down to -.5c there but is back up to 0c

Keeping an eye on radar and looks like we might get some showers through the night.

Regardless it's going to be a cold one!

[Baltic Regions]

Okay. Finally got round to getting some photo's off my camera from the snow both yesterday and today.

[stormforce 10]

frequent heavy snow showers here, a good inch on the ground now. -1.2c and bitterly cold. :o

[dice48]

im getting fed up with this because apparently its 2.5c and it ust be at least -0.5c because the ground is frozen and for some wierd reason the showers are falling as hail through the night and snow through the day which is really annoying could anyone answer this?

[mountain shadow]

Brilliant heavy snow shower this morning. I have decided that daylight snow is better than night time snow. Very, very icy here at the moment. Currently -2.9c.

Sunday does look good for snow, but it is outwith my knowledge as to what will be snow and what will be sleet/rain. Perhaps The Watcher knows the score. Called Thursday night on the button.

[Baltic Regions]

Lets not forget his winning of the alternative winter forecast!

Got about half 6 this morning bright as a button. Slight skiffs overnight here everywhere is white and frozen solid. Temp is +2c at present but a cold night.

Showers running down the east coast of Antrim and Down. Watcher your right in the firing line of it.

Sunday does look good, Must check Monday's diary!

[dice48]

yeah i agree it looks like alot of snow and it looks like it will lie because temperatures are below zero for about 6 or 7.

[The watcher]

Well, must have been snow from the showers this morning, but my temps are way too high for it to lye and its just another damp squib here. Currently 2.9c and rising. Temps today for me should reach around 3.5c max.

It looks to me like a small streamer is developing because of a long sea track from Western Scotland SW towards South Antrim and county Down. Will be interesting to see if this does continue. If we can just have a very sharp heavy fall this may well reduce ground temps enough to let the snow lye. Another interesting day on the cards.

Its funny you should mention the Alt Forecast, I forecast this cold spell in it, however my timing in the Christmas forecasts was innacurate but the overall trend was there, this cold spell I had forecasted on the button though.

I will just update myself on model output this morning and give you's an update of Sunday nights situation.

Edited February 7, 2009 by The watcher

[The watcher]

Currently precipitation rates for Sundays rain band stand at a mere maximum of 1.5mm per hour. So precipitation will be light. Current temp suggestions (-4 850hpa, DAM 524, DP's Max 1c, Air temps 1-2c) would suggest Sleet and Snow. Snow mainly at first, turning to Sleet near the end of the band. These are subject to change, but as it stands I really don't see a huge or widespread risk for Sunday night into Monday. I don't know where BBC are getting there forecast from but if they are forecasting heavy snow or disruption they must know something I don't.

[dice48]

do you think the snow will lie?

[Matty M]

Met for Tonight

Tonight

Very cold and mostly calm and clear after dark. Widespread frost soon developing, becoming severe in many areas. Temperatures falling to between 0 and - 5 C. Cloudy weather spreading from the Atlantic overnight and during the morning, bringing outbreaks of rain, sleet or snow, and a freshening southeast to south breeze. Falls of snow in places, especially further north and east, with the possibility of disruption for a time.

[SNOWPLOUGH]

Met for Tonight

Tonight

Very cold and mostly calm and clear after dark. Widespread frost soon developing, becoming severe in many areas. Temperatures falling to between 0 and - 5 C. Cloudy weather spreading from the Atlantic overnight and during the morning, bringing outbreaks of rain, sleet or snow, and a freshening southeast to south breeze. Falls of snow in places, especially further north and east, with the possibility of disruption for a time.

Also weather warning from the met :

Weather Warning

Issued at 07 February 2009 - 13:02

Weather Advisory

Issued at 13:00 Saturday 7th February 2009

A frontal system will move eastwards across the country during Saturday night and Sunday. The associated rain will turn to sleet or snow in places as it moves inland during Saturday night and early Sunday morning. This is possible almost anywhere away from the south and southeast coasts, but is most likely over Connacht, Ulster and the northern half of Leinster.

However, clearer weather reaching the southwest and west coasts around dawn will follow on to remaining areas during the day on Sunday, with some rise in temperatures for most parts.

Any lying snow near sea level should start to thaw.

SP

[dice48]

why have the meto not issued a warning/

[jello]

why have the meto not issued a warning/

They have a warning out now for Widespread Icy Roads & Heavy Snow

[dice48]

oh how uch?

[Graeme B]

Good Luck for tonight guys !

Us fellow Celts are watching with baited breath !

[cold snap]

Went on a trip to county wicklow the foot of the mountains,was suprised by the coverage of snow,very impressed,very cold,people trying to shovel the snow from there drives.really enjoyed the day.

[The watcher]

Okay, heres my tuppence for tommorows Snowfall risk.

0600 Hours:

Light snow falling in the West of Ireland and Ulster, spreading East and becoming moderate.

0900 Hours:

Slight accumulations in the West, however Snow turning to Sleet or Rain during the morning and quickly thawing any accumulations here..The East will see moderate snow with accumulations of 2-5cm, possibly 10cm in local areas.

1200 Hours:

Snow will have turned wet or to sleet and will be lighter in Eastern areas, accumulations will begin to thaw although slowly until the sun comes out. Any precipitation will largely clear leaving 10cm on hills with 2-5cm (quickly thawing) at lower levels.

All in all it is going to be an alright event, though not as disruptive as Wednesday and Thursdays snow.

In some locations the precipitation will remain as snow if a good covering of 5cm + remains. This is because the DP's, and Temps are the only factors bringing the wetter snow and sleet, thus with a good snowcover you will keep the colder temps and DP's.

My warning:

Moderate falls of snow during Sunday Morning will leave accumulations of 2-5cm + at lower levels in Eastern Countys, this will make driving difficult. However things should clear from midday onwards.

[dice48]

that is just biased this year every time it snows all you hear is snow accumualtions in the east and rain in the west im fed up with this! :huh:

[The watcher]

that is just biased this year every time it snows all you hear is snow accumualtions in the east and rain in the west im fed up with this! :huh:

Im not being biased.......your up North anyway so your forecast will be somewhere in the middle. My forecast is for the whole of Ireland, the only relative matter that will determine precipitation type is West - East, further South aswell the 850hpa temps are higher so this will have a bearing on precipitation too. For you dice I'd be expecting a few cm's at least but this will dissapear come Sunday afternoon as it will in all areas.....it really wasn't going to be a super event like the BBC ramped it up to be.

[dice48]

what temperatures do you think it will be when it firrt falls?would i get anything like say 8 or 10cm.

Edited February 7, 2009 by dice48

[DaBrigg]

I doubt there will be any snow worth getting excited about on low ground near the east coast. Over here, we'll probably only get a short spell of light wet snow, at best. Ild also expect precipitation amounts to be very small in the the Dublin region. The Wicklow Mountains always tend to kill off the activity in weak fronts like this when theres any sort of southerly flow.

The heaviest bursts of precipitation probably wont arrive on the east coast until later in the morning, when the winds turn more to the west. By then the less cold air will already have arrived, so it'll more likely fall as cold rain or sleet. Anywhere with a bit of altitide will do considerably better, however.