spring Ireland Regional Discussions 21/03/13

[The watcher]

Locally this winter for me wasn't as good as 2010 or 1995 for laying snow. However, days of falling snow is high enough to be up there with some of the better ones and recent events memorable enough to be put swiftly in the stories to tell bank.

[Rocheydub]

Another good coating first thing this morning, mostly gone now again. Currently peaked at 4.0c at present, might hit 5 today, but doubt it. Dewpoint is -2.6 still very overcast so any precip may still fall as sleet or snow.

I feel a trip to the mountains coming on tomorrow....

[Earth Wind and Snow]

Locally this winter for me wasn't as good as 2010 or 1995 for laying snow. However, days of falling snow is high enough to be up there with some of the better ones and recent events memorable enough to be put swiftly in the stories to tell bank.

After the memorable Nov and Dec 2010 spell - The only snow I saw at my location between Jan 2011 and mid Jan 2013 was a 5 minute shower on a westerly in Dec 2011 and did no see a flake of snow in the whole of 2012

Since mid Jan 2013 I have seen falling snow almost every week with 5 days of lying snow (although these always more or less melted by late morning or afternoon) plus other dustings - even this week I have seen falling snow every day since last Sunday and awoke to a light covering the last two mornings - I have probably seen more falling snow in the past two months than I saw fall in Nov / Dec 2010 episode - however being late in the season and without one exceptionally heavy fall it has not hung around whereas the 2010 falls while sporadic hung around for weeks on end

Still an amazing spell - I thought yesterday that after today, we would not see any more snowfall until next winter, however looking at todays charts, I would not be surprised if some places saw further snowfall in some shape or from as we go in to April

EWS

[be cause]

took my mum to hospital in Belfast on Thursday and was astonished at the snow still lying ..even in the city centre there is plenty of evidence ...bbbut the surrounding countryside is still buried a week after the event ..

Suddenly you can see how with a blocking weather pattern we could have a six month winter .. unheard of snow in October 2009 .. the deep freeze of 2010 and now March 2013 .. put all those into one winter .. along with a few near misses of extreme cold east and west of us this winter .. and we would have a whole new climate and not very good for our main industry .. farming ..and as for last summer ..brrr !

[Neiller22]

My 7th day of thick snowfall on the ground and snowed every day at some point since last thurs night!

[BIG LAD]

plenty of snow still left on sliabh beagh this evening. very slow thaw with the low dew points. temp at 7pm was -1.5c at the top.

[azr]

Snow lying in County Antrim! Up shanes hill way.

http://tinypic.com/r/314bk2b/6

[Su Campu]

I flew from Weston to Dundalk and back yesterday morning and shot some video along the way. The only snow remaining was on the Cooleys and Mournes and some far off Cavan hills. I reckon remains of that snow on the Mournes will still be there into May.

[gingercat]

Snow in my back garden yesterday 7 days after the event

[skywatcher]

I flew from Weston to Dundalk and back yesterday morning and shot some video along the way. The only snow remaining was on the Cooleys and Mournes and some far off Cavan hills. I reckon remains of that snow on the Mournes will still be there into May.

There's more snow still on the streets of Belfast than there is on those mountains - Stacks of snow 4 -5ft high along the pavements where the snow's been cleared from the roads (by the residents, not the council). Snow in the gardens. Snow on the roofs. Residents in this area still walking down roads as the pavements are too dangerous. I have to say, this is in the outer suburbs - the centre is mostly clear. Beautiful video, though, and a welcome reminder that spring is on its way.

[The watcher]

I flew from Weston to Dundalk and back yesterday morning and shot some video along the way. The only snow remaining was on the Cooleys and Mournes and some far off Cavan hills. I reckon remains of that snow on the Mournes will still be there into May.

Fantastic Su Campu, is that you flying in your own wee private plane?

Fancy taking me up for a spin sometime?

Snow in my back garden yesterday 7 days after the event

That's still alot of snow. Seen the hills in Bangor are still covered too.

[The Eagle]

Turning colder next week with snow showers in the east Wednesday night and Thursday in particular. Something to keep an eye on. Later a possible snow 2event" in parts but that's yet to be sorted on the models.

Edited March 31, 2013 by The Eagle

[SnowJon]

Su - I was in the mournes yesterday - hiked to the top of the highest mountain Slieve Donard. The snow up there is the deepest I've seen in the mournes - the Mourne Wall is actually completely buried at the top so there must be around 1.5m of level snow! Will post some pics here later

[ronan]

Really don't want anymore cold! Think it's time we had a bit of warmth!

[The watcher]

Really don't want anymore cold! Think it's time we had a bit of warmth!

Middle of April looks promising for a Euro High or Ridging Azores. Will warm it up a good bit but wetter.

[Baltic Regions]

My In-Laws still have a five foot snow drift at a tight bend in their road. Single file traffic still.

Looking forward to the warm up now but intrigued by the power and logevity of this cold snap with potentially more snow this week!!

Need to order oil soon!

Happy Easter everyone!!!!

[ronan]

I can do with some rain but it's just constant cold at the minute! Hard to heat the house! Hopefully we have a great summer this year for a change!

[SnowJon]

Some pics from a hike up the Bloody Bridge River to the summit of Slieve Donard in the Mournes on Saturday:

Frozen waterfall:

This is the Mourne Wall which is about 5ft high just before the final climb to the top of Donard - I have never seen the snow this deep here before - the wall is just about visible -normally you have to climb up 5 or 6 steps on the style to get over the other side of the wall, but the snow was so deep you could just walk over the top! :

A pic of my brother taking a pic - shows the blue sky nicely :

The summit of Donard - the Mourne Wall should be visible here but the snow has completely buried it - incredible scenes - I reckon a depth of about 1.5m here !! :

The intrepid explorers :

Barney surveys the Kingdom of Mourne:

[snowydog]

Absolutely amazing pics SnowJon ... that's something I would love to do someday ... Is it dangerous? How was the trek to the top?

I've trekked to the summit of Slieve Donard before, but only in the summertime - NOT in the snow .... I see what you mean about the snow and the wall .. crazy amounts! ...

How was it going down? Slippy? Dangerous? I'd be a bit nervous trekking it up in those snowy conditions ... I seen a bit in the news about avalanches in some areas of the Mournes .. was this a worry for you at all?

Thanks again for the pics - great of you to share - they really show how wonderful this snow event was!

[The Eagle]

I hold my prediction of snow in the east Wednesday night and Thursday and into Friday - and that the beast from the north east is not over after that either.

Edited April 1, 2013 by The Eagle

[SnowJon]

Absolutely amazing pics SnowJon ... that's something I would love to do someday ... Is it dangerous? How was the trek to the top?

I've trekked to the summit of Slieve Donard before, but only in the summertime - NOT in the snow .... I see what you mean about the snow and the wall .. crazy amounts! ...

How was it going down? Slippy? Dangerous? I'd be a bit nervous trekking it up in those snowy conditions ... I seen a bit in the news about avalanches in some areas of the Mournes .. was this a worry for you at all?

Thanks again for the pics - great of you to share - they really show how wonderful this snow event was!

It didn't seem that dangerous - the Bloody Bridge walk is pretty straightforward and there was no real ice on the path. We didn't think we'd get to the summit actually - we have tried before in the snow but usually your feet just sink right through the snow and it takes way too much effort, but the snow was really hard packed this time and relatively easy to walk on.

Going down was absolutely brilliant - the easiest way down was sliding on your bum - it was really fun and surprisingly fast

The avalanche warnings were for another area of the Mournes, so I didn't feel too nervous - really weird to see avalanche warnings in Northern Ireland!

[be cause]

I was up on Sl Beagh yesterday .. still plenty of snow and a wind chill like I've never known .. and Sl Donard looking like a giant white jewel sparkling in the sun !

thanks for the close up images SnowJon .. did you see any signs of Spring from up there ?

[mountain shadow]

Currently one degree celsius here, snow still a foot deep in the garden on the first of April.

Crazy

[cue_killar]

Happy Easter everyone!

Still snow lying around the street here and in the gardens, but today seemed like a nice bright day with the sun out and all!

[BIG LAD]

wonder when the last of the snow will melt? will be interesting to keep track on here. sliabh beagh hills had snowdrifts that lasted to 20th april 2010 after the big end of march snowstorm. im sure somewhere can beat that this year. saw some huge drifts around the slievemore wind farm outside ballygawley today. biggest one at the side of the road was 5ft high.