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What’s the difference between weather and climate?

You can’t weather a tree, but you can climate!

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THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHTNING VERYVERYFRIGHTENING 

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THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHTNING VERYVERYFRIGHTENING 

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What is a thunderstorm?
This is a storm with lightning and thunder. Its produced by a cumulonimbus cloud, usually producing gusty winds, heavy rain and sometimes hail.

What causes a thunderstorm?
Thunderstorms occur where there is moisture, unstable air and lift. You need moisture to form clouds and rain. You need unstable air that is relatively warm and can rise rapidly. Finally, you need lift. This can form from fronts, sea breezes or mountains.

When are thunderstorms most likely to occur?
Thunderstorms can occur year-round and at all hours. But they are most likely to happen in the spring and summer months and during the afternoon and evening hours.

What is lightning? Lightning is a bright flash of electricity produced by a thunderstorm. All thunderstorms produce lightning. If you hear the sound of thunder, then there is also lightning.

What causes lightning?
Lightning is an electric current.  Many small bits of ice within a thundercloud bump into each other as they move in the air. These collisions create an electric charge. After a while, the whole cloud fills up with electrical charges. The positive charges or protons form at the top of the cloud and the negative charges or electrons form at the bottom of the cloud. Because opposites attract, that causes a positive charge to build up on the ground beneath the cloud. The grounds electrical charge concentrates around anything that sticks up, such as mountains, people, or single trees. The charge coming up from these points eventually connects with a charge reaching down from the clouds and lightning occurs!

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What does a cloud wear under his raincoat?

Thunderwear!

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This photo by George Karbus

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The sunniest months in Ireland are May and June. In these months sunshine averages between 5 and 6.5 hours a day.

The farthest southeast gets the most sunshine, averaging at 7 hours a day in early summer.

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by the Office of Emergency Planning

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The winter of 2013/14 was the wettest on record, according to data released by Met Éireann.

Rainfall totals were well above Long Term Average (LTA) everywhere, according to the organisation.

They ranged from 143% of average values at Finner in Co Donegal to 208% at Carlow Oakpark.

More than 50% of stations across Ireland reported it was the wettest winter on record.

These included Valentia Observatory (848mm or 183% of long term average), Malin Head, Shannon Airport and Mullingar.

According to Met Éireann, other stations in the south, east and west reported their wettest December, January and February in 57 years, with the wettest day of the season at Ballyhaise on 17 February, with 34.5mm.

The number of wet days during the season ranged from 50-80 around the country.

Winds were also above average, with storm force winds recorded in several locations.

Dublin Airport's average wind speed over the season, at 26km/h, was at its highest since 1943.

Shannon Airport reported its highest winter average wind speed in 31 years with 23km/h, while some stations in the south had their highest average wind speeds in 24 years.

The highest gust in February was at Shannon Airport, which recorded a gust of 159km/h on 12 February, its highest gust for February on record.

Storm force winds were recorded on 1, 8 and 12 February.

Gale force winds were reported on 23 days during the month, with severe gales on 13 days.

Lightning activity was recorded on almost two thirds of the days of the month, with the heaviest activity on 1, 11, 12 and 13 February.

The high winds were accompanied by high seas, with a new record maximum wave of 25m reported at the Kinsale Energy Gas Platform on 12 February.

Mean air temperatures were on or above average everywhere, except for Cork Airport and Markree.

The warmest day of the season was 12 December, with 15.2C recorded at Malin Head and Finner.

With so much rain, it is not surprising that sunshine was not at a premium, with average values ranging from 77% or 115 hours at Knock to 217 hours or 116% at Dublin Airport.

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Winter was wettest ever recorded in Ireland

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The winter of 2013/14 was the wettest on record, according to data released by Met Éireann. Rainfall totals were well above Long Term Average (LTA) everywhere, according to the organisation. They ranged from 143% of average values at Finner in Co Donegal to 208% at Carlow Oakpark.

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Hourly rainfall amounts in Ireland are low, ranging between 1 to 2mm. They can also be much higher, an hourly total of 10mm isn't uncommon and 15 to 20mm in an hour can be expected once in 5 years. It is rare for hourly totals to exceed 25mm in this country and when it does happen, they are usually associated with heavy thunderstorms.

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It only rains twice a year in Ireland...

August through April and May through July!

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Weather Warnings are presented in three categories:

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Weather Warnings are presented in three categories:

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Yellow  - Be Aware!

These level weather alerts are for weather conditions that don't pose an immediate threat to the general population, but only to those exposed to risk by nature of their location and/or activity.

Orange - Be Prepared!

These are weather conditions which have the capacity to impact significantly on people in the affected areas. It implies that all people in the affected areas should prepare themselves in an appropriate way for the anticipated conditions.

Red - Take Action!

These weather warnings should be a rare event and implies that people take action to protect themselves and/or their properties; this could be by moving their families out of the danger zone temporarily; by staying indoors; or by other specific actions aimed at mitigating the effects of the weather conditions.

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When does it rain money?

When there is a change in the weather!

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Most of the eastern half of the country gets between 750 and 1000 (mm) of rainfall in the year.

Rainfall in the west generally averages between 1000 and 1400 mm.

In mountainous areas rainfall exceeds 2000mm per year.

The wettest months, in nearly all areas are December and January.

Normally April is the driest month across the country. But June is the driest in some southern parts.

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Jason Coleman