Come back, Summer… Nothing to be forgiven!

[sumi]

I'm not sure who we ticked off in Siberia, but they sent us this:

Metalert Ireland
February 23 at 8:51am ·


ADVANCED WEATHER ADVISORY (WARNING)
TIMELINE: MONDAY 26TH FEB 2018......ONWARDS
AREA: NATIONWIDE
CONFIDENCE: 100% Minor disruption.
CONFIDENCE: 70% Severe disruption.

This our first "warning" advisory for very cold temperatures setting in from Monday the 26th of February. We have already upgraded through 50% general advisory to a 70% be prepared advisory, this is a readiness and be prepared warning. The next level we will issue (If required) is a "severe" warning.
At this time it looks possible that the cold outbreak will last until the end of next week at least?
We recommend and urge the public to keep a close eye on Met Eireann and your local forecasts over the coming days and week ahead. We expect our national forecaster to begin rolling out advisories over the coming weekend.
AVOID ALL UPLAND ROAD NETWORKS REGARDLESS OF LOW LAND CONDITIONS.
From Monday and throughout the course of next week we expect to see temperatures drop back each day. The threat of wintry falls of snow will increase as we proceed through the week.
Latest guidance suggests that by mid week temperatures will struggle to highs of or stay below 0c/-2c by day -4c/-9c by night with an increasing risk of widespread snow accumulations across the eastern half of Ireland from Monday night through to Saturday. Wind chill or feel like temps will be exceptionally cold in a brisk easterly wind from Tuesday.
The snow threat from a nationwide aspect will also increase as the week goes on. There is a 70% risk of very heavy snowfalls leading to widespread disruption. Putting that into a perspective there is a 1 in 3 chance that a severe outbreak will not occur.
We continue to urge the public to check in on elderly or vulnerable neighbours and family. Please make them aware of the weather outlook next week. Do they have enough medication, food and fuel?
100% Confidence: Very Cold Outlook 5/7 days as of Monday, minor disruption.
70% Confidence: Severe to Widespread Disruption in Ireland.

 

[Chic Rustler]

grab some hot cocoa, stoke up the fire and have a snow day.

You can't control the weather. But you can take advantage of it

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Geeze louise! Hope you're all set and can just hunker down and ride it out! Got a good book or two? Lots of hot cocoa, a good hearty stew with a nice wine are all in order!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Reminds me of home

 

[Britesea]

not to mention having to deal with icy roads!

 

[Miss Lydia]

When they call for ice or snow here or both at once the stores get stripped down pretty fast.

As for walking down steps when you can't see them? they should be avoided at all cost least you end up on your bottom at the bottom.

I have ice tracks to keep me upright but when snow gets that deep you need snow shoes. lol

 

[sumi]

LOL yep…

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Hope you get through this without any problems! Please keep us informed as much as you can - we worry about ya!

 

[sumi]

Hope you get through this without any problems! Please keep us informed as much as you can - we worry about ya!

Thank you, I will!

The latest forecast:

TODAY ... Variable cloud, becoming rather windy and very cold, with outbreaks of snow (possibly starting as rain or sleet right along the east coast but changing to snow, and a start as snow more likely any distance inland), potential for 5 to 15 cms in Leinster, 3 to 10 cms in south and east Munster, traces to 3 cms further west and north. Highs -1 to +3 C, mildest near south coast, with significant wind chill by afternoon (-3 to -5 C), with temperatures likely to drop during snowfall to -1 C. Snow may be accompanied by thunder this afternoon especially near east coast. The snow is expected to be sleety and rather light in general this morning but heavier by afternoon and evening. Some parts of west Ulster and north Connacht could have sunny spells. Winds generally northeast 20-40 km/hr this morning increasing to 40-60 km/hr by afternoon.

WEDNESDAY ... After a very cold start (lows -11 to -5 C, coldest in west Ulster and inland Connacht, north Tipperary) becoming very windy with outbreaks of heavy snow likely, thunder possible, accumulations of 10 to 25 cms in parts of Leinster could be disruptive to travel, 5 to 15 cms in parts of Munster and east Ulster, tapering to trace amounts near west coast (but some bursts of heavier snow could reach as far west as Galway and Limerick). Highs only -4 to -1 C, feeling like -10 C in the wind which will be easterly 50 to 90 km/hr. This is likely to become a "red alert" situation both for cold and snowfall.

I'm Munster, close to the Leinster border

 

[Britesea]

I was an Aerographer's Mate (weather observer) in the Navy, and I can tell you that the accuracy of the weather forecaster is completely dependent on the accuracy of the weather observers- those people scattered all over the globe who trudge outside in all weather every hour of the day and night to read the instruments and look at the sky. The instruments may be more accurate than they were in my day, but someone still has to look at the sky and read what type of clouds and how high up they are etc. Mistakes can be made, and also- being human- sometimes they DON'T go outside and just write down what they observed last time; thus missing a valuable clue to a change in the weather.

For all that, one of my favorite stories is of the disgruntled listener who phone the radio station to inform them that he had just finished shoveling 12 inches of "partly cloudy" off his driveway